Cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins, CDs) comprise a family of biocompatible cage devices which have been developed during the last thirty years in order to improve the solubility, stability and the bioavailability of drugs. Chemical modification usually improves the solubility and solubilisation properties and generally alleviates the renal toxicity of native cyclodextrins. Red cell lysis, which is ascribed to membrane interactions is also monitored. Selective and commercially accessible functionalisation processes are now available which avoid the problems of heterogeneity commonly found with the existing industrial approaches. These allow a convenient access to modular structures which could fit the molecular characteristics of the host ("bouquet" and dimeric CDs). Grafting of saccharide ligands which are recognised by membrane proteins is another promising aspect for the transport and targeting of drugs and the control of cell interactions. Several topological aspects of ligand presentation toward a membrane lectin have been assessed with concanavalin A and mannosyl CD-dendrimers and the results have been extended to molecular targeting to macrophages. Advantage has been taken of the autoassociation properties of amphiphilic derivatives of cyclodextrins for the preparation of stable nanoparticles of interest for the transport and targeting of drugs and macromolecular systems.