From targeted drug delivery to tissue regeneration: the evolving role of nanoparticle therapies in liver disease

Chronic liver disease (CLD) cases are rising globally, impacting people across all age groups. The broad spectrum of etiologies and the heterogeneous presentation of CLDs make it challenging to develop effective therapeutic interventions. Current treatments focus on eliminating the underlying cause (e.g. in infections), reducing inflammation or slowing or halting fibrosis progression. However, these treatments lack specificity and have limited ability to repair or regenerate the damaged tissue. Due to the liver's unique regenerative capability, it can repair tissue damage during early stages of CLD; however, this ability is severely compromised during late-stage CLD, necessitating novel treatments to promote tissue regeneration. Nanoparticle (NP)-based drug delivery systems offer a versatile platform that can address many of the challenges of current CLD treatments. Through cell-specific surface modifications and encapsulation of multiple therapeutics within a single system, NPs can be engineered to provide targeted, sequential delivery of therapeutics and growth-promoting agents to the damaged liver. They can also be used to track the treatment and tissue repair post-administration. This Special Report examines current treatment challenges in CLD, highlights NPs' potential to address these challenges and outlines future directions for their use in liver disease management and tissue regeneration.