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Theranostics of metal–organic frameworks: image-guided nanomedicine for clinical translation

    Abhishesh Kumar Mehata

    Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, India

    ,
    Vikas

    Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, India

    ,
    Matte Kasi Viswanadh

    Department of Pharmaceutics, KL School of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Greenfields, Vaddeswaram, 522502, India

    &
    Madaswamy S Muthu

    *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +91 923 519 5928;

    E-mail Address: msmuthu.phe@iitbhu.ac.in

    Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, India

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/nnm-2022-0278

    Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)-based theranostic nanomedicine has demonstrated enormous potential for cancer diagnosis and therapy due to its versatile physiochemical properties, such as structural and morphological properties, specific cellular targeting, tunable pore and particle size, higher surface area, drug-loading capacity, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Notably, MOFs, loaded with diagnostic and therapeutic agents and functionalized with targeting moiety, are capable of catering to both targeted imaging and therapy simultaneously. Additionally, MOFs have demonstrated excellent potential in drug delivery, drug targeting, bioimaging, biosensing, biocatalysis and so on. However, major challenges associated with MOFs include improving their stability, biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy and reducing the toxicity. This special report sheds light on the historical development, synthesis, recent advancements, toxicity and challenges associated with MOFs-based cancer nanotheranostics for their clinical translation.

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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