Advances in nanotechnology-based delivery systems for EGFR tyrosine kinases inhibitors in cancer therapy

Oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family have been introduced into the clinic to treat human malignancies for decades. Despite superior properties of EGFR-TKIs as small molecule targeted drugs, their applications are still restricted due to their low solubility, capricious oral bioavailability, large requirement of daily dose, high binding tendency to plasma albumin and initial/acquired drug resistance. Nanotechnology is a promising tool to improve efficacy of these drugs. Through non-oral routes. Various nanotechnology-based delivery approaches have been developed for providing efficient delivery of EGFR-TKIs with a better pharmacokinetic profile and tissue-targeting ability. This review aims to indicate the advantage of nanocarriers for EGFR-TKIs delivery. (A). Various types of EGFR-TKIs loaded nanocarriers (a) liposome, (b) polymer nanoparticle, (c) micelle, (d) nanogold particles.(B) Schematic illustration of nanocarriers are intended to exploit the enhanced permeability and retention effect to exit the blood vessels through leaky vasculature and accumulate within tumor tissues.(C) Schematic of increased targeting ability of nanocarriers via surface modification and the anti-cancer mechanism of EGFR inhibition. [Display omitted]