Recent Advancements in Nanocrystals: Emerging Trends in Drug Delivery Systems

Nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as a promising approach for improving the systemic delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. While they are primarily recognized for enhancing drug dissolution, their in vivo behavior remains insufficiently understood. Recent advancements in NCs, hybrid nanocrystals (HNCs), and nanococrystals have significantly expanded their potential in drug delivery systems. Nanococrystals combine the advantages of NCs and pharmaceutical cocrystals, improving solubility, dissolution, and stability while preserving crystalline integrity. Prodrug-based nanocrystals (NCs) combine the benefits of nanocrystal technology with prodrug design, enabling improved solubility, stability, and controlled drug release for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. HNCs, incorporating lipids, polymers, or inorganic materials, enable controlled release, enhanced permeability, and targeted delivery, thereby supporting personalized medicine applications. Moreover, the integration of NCs into microneedle platforms facilitates transdermal and intradermal delivery, offering painless administration, bypassing first-pass metabolism, and improving patient compliance. These innovations collectively enhance therapeutic efficacy by improving bioavailability and minimizing adverse effects. This review highlights the latest progress in NCs-based formulations, discusses their advantages and current limitations, and outlines future perspectives in pharmaceutical sciences.