Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Design

Surface functionalization represents the key design of an efficient and successful targeted nanocarrier-based drug delivery system for cancer therapy. The main aim of developing such delivery system is to overcome the limitations of the current conventional chemotherapeutic products. Despite some improvement they offer, there are major problems summarized in non-selectivity and specificity, off-target side effects, multidrug resistance [MDR], low response rate and lack of efficiency.  Versatile strategies and approaches have been addressed by researchers and academicians. Active and passive targeting strategies are the main types of targeting strategies along with dual, stimuli responsive and multifunctional or theranostic liposomal nanoparticles. The initial and complex challenging task is the selection of the appropriate targeting moiety to interact with specific receptor overexpressed on tumor cell. However, the variable microenvironment pathophysiology within tumor cell and other biological interactions in the body are obstacles stands out in achieving the aforementioned goal.  Of the cancerous cells. This presentation will highlight the these challenges, approaches for targeting strategies in design of an efficient targeted drug delivery system in cancer. Theranostics is a combination of digostics and therapeutics in one single platform. It has a potential role in management of cancer and other diseases. Nanomedicine is a medical application of Nanotechnology based products involving both nanomaterials and nanodevices. Both can establish the pillar to  treat,  diagnose, detect, and management of the disease.