Issue 14, 2025

Placental targeted drug delivery: a review of recent progress

Abstract

The placenta plays a crucial role in mediating nutrient and gas exchange between the mother and fetus during pregnancy. Targeting therapeutic agents to the placenta presents significant opportunities for treating placental disorders and enhancing fetal outcomes. However, the unique structural complexity and selective permeability of the placenta pose substantial challenges for effective drug delivery. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current strategies for placental targeting, including lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery systems, targeted peptide modifications, specific antibody targeting of placental receptors, and the use of viral vectors. We critically analyze the advantages and limitations of each approach, emphasizing recent advancements in enhancing targeting specificity and delivery efficiency. By consolidating the latest research developments, this review aims to foster further innovation in placental drug delivery methods and contribute significantly to the advancement of therapeutic strategies for placental disorders, ultimately improving outcomes for both mother and fetus.

Graphical abstract: Placental targeted drug delivery: a review of recent progress

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
19 Kax 2024
Accepted
03 Cig 2025
First published
12 Cig 2025
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale, 2025,17, 8316-8335

Placental targeted drug delivery: a review of recent progress

L. Wang, Q. Mu, W. Zhang, W. Zheng, X. Zhu, Y. Yu, Y. Wang, W. Xu, Z. Lu and X. Han, Nanoscale, 2025, 17, 8316 DOI: 10.1039/D4NR05338A

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