Self-assembled nano-balls released from multistage vector for cancer therapy.

The efficacy of cancer drugs is often compromised due to the existence of biological barriers such as nonspecific distribution, hemorheological flow limitation and endothelial extravasation, impaired delivery across tumor cell membranes and tissue, and multidrug resistance. To overcome these obstacles, Xu et al developed an injectable nanoparticle generator platform to negotiate with the biological barriers and enable self-assembly of nano-balls in situ in order to maximize drug accumulation inside the tumor tissues and hence the therapeutic efficacy. This perspective aims to elaborate the designing strategy, and discuss the mechanism of action of the new drug and the potential for future development of nanoparticulate drugs.