Advanced drug delivery systems for enhancing the efficacy of RNA-based therapeutics

Nasser Ali Alhabib; Mohammed Abdulaziz Almaniea; Soliman Mohammed Alehaidib; Mohammed Ahmed Almansour; Mubarak Saad Aldosary; Maysam Taysir Almegbel; Sultan Abdullah Alsubaie; Ahlam Mohammed Alzahrani

doi:10.53730/ijhs.v6nS10.15029

Authors

Nasser Ali Alhabib KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Mohammed Abdulaziz Almaniea KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Soliman Mohammed Alehaidib KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Mohammed Ahmed Almansour KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Mubarak Saad Aldosary KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Maysam Taysir Almegbel KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Sultan Abdullah Alsubaie KSA, National Guard Health Affairs
Ahlam Mohammed Alzahrani KSA, National Guard Health Affairs

Keywords:

RNA therapeutics, delivery systems, lipid nanoparticles, polymer nanoparticles, viral vectors, targeted delivery, mRNA vaccines

Abstract

Background: RNA-based therapeutics, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs), offer significant promise in treating genetic and acquired diseases by targeting specific RNA sequences, encoding therapeutic proteins, or facilitating genome editing. However, the effective delivery of these RNA therapeutics remains a major challenge due to their large size, negative charge, and susceptibility to degradation. Aim: This review aims to explore advanced drug delivery systems developed to enhance the efficacy of RNA-based therapeutics, focusing on both viral and non-viral methods, and to evaluate the progress and limitations of these systems in clinical applications. Methods: The review synthesizes recent advancements in RNA delivery technologies, including viral vectors, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), polymer-based nanoparticles, and hybrid systems. It also examines various targeting strategies such as passive and active targeting to improve the specificity and efficiency of RNA delivery. Results: Significant progress has been made with both viral and non-viral delivery systems. Viral vectors, though effective, face challenges related to immunogenicity and production costs. Non-viral systems, particularly lipid nanoparticles and polymer-based carriers, have shown promising results, with several FDA-approved products demonstrating clinical efficacy. Advances in targeting strategies, including ligand-based and antibody-based methods, have improved the precision of RNA delivery.

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