Prioritizing Impact: Cancers for Nanomedicine

Abstract From the vantage point of the oncology clinic, the barriers keeping promising nanomedicines from patients look different than they appear from the research bench. Despite decades of preclinical progress, few patients are treated with nanoparticle-based therapies. This gap has two sides: well-characterized scientific obstacles, and a less-discussed set of clinical barriers that even a high-performing nanomedicine must overcome. In this Perspective, written from the viewpoint of a practicing oncologist, I argue that patient-centered design can mitigate some of these barriers and identify new opportunities for nanomedicine. I outline four principles that prioritize clinical impact: synergizing with the standard of care, advancing immuno-oncology combinations, embracing rare cancers, and improving supportive care. Bridging this gap will require clinicians, engineers, life and physical scientists, and industry partners to work together and adopt shared principles that put patients first.