Engineered Nanomaterials: The Challenges and Opportunities for Nanomedicines

Int J Nanomedicine. 2021 Jan 8:16:161-184. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S288236. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The emergence of nanotechnology as a key enabling technology over the past years has opened avenues for new and innovative applications in nanomedicine. From the business aspect, the nanomedicine market was estimated to worth USD 293.1 billion by 2022 with a perception of market growth to USD 350.8 billion in 2025. Despite these opportunities, the underlying challenges for the future of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in nanomedicine research became a significant obstacle in bringing ENMs into clinical stages. These challenges include the capability to design bias-free methods in evaluating ENMs' toxicity due to the lack of suitable detection and inconsistent characterization techniques. Therefore, in this literature review, the state-of-the-art of engineered nanomaterials in nanomedicine, their toxicology issues, the working framework in developing a toxicology benchmark and technical characterization techniques in determining the toxicity of ENMs from the reported literature are explored.

Keywords: Taylor dispersion analysis; asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation; engineered nanomaterials; nanomedicine; nanotoxicology; particle tracking analysis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Approval
  • Health
  • Humans
  • Nanomedicine*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / toxicity
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • United States
  • United States Food and Drug Administration