PLGA based nanomaterials in Drug Delivery for cancer treatment: Innovations and Emerging Applications

Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has emerged as a cornerstone in modern drug delivery systems (DDSs), offering unparalleled biodegradability, biocompatibility, and tunable drug release kinetics. This review highlights the latest innovations and emerging applications of PLGA in drug delivery, focusing on its role in cancer therapy, neurological disorders, pain management, inflammation, vaccines, and tissue regeneration. Recent advancements in PLGA-based systems, such as stimuli-responsive carriers, targeted delivery strategies, and combination therapies, have significantly enhanced therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity. Despite its success, challenges like burst release, batch-to-batch variability, and regulatory hurdles persist. Future directions include optimizing PLGA properties, integrating advanced technologies like 3D printing and nanotechnology, and developing personalized medicine approaches. By addressing these challenges, PLGA-based DDSs hold immense potential to revolutionize healthcare, offering precise, controlled, and patient-specific treatments for a wide range of diseases. This review underscores the transformative role of PLGA in advancing drug delivery and outlines key strategies to overcome existing limitations, paving the way for next-generation therapeutic solutions.