Mediated Drug Release from Nanovehicles by Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots for Efficient Therapy of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an intractable disease involving a sticky mucus layer and nanoagents with mucus‐penetrating capability offer a new way to deliver drugs. However, drug release from nanovehicles requires optimization to enhance the therapeutic effects of COPD therapy. Herein, black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) are combined with PEGylated chitosan nanospheres containing the antibiotic amikacin (termed PEG@CS/BPQDs‐AM NPs). As a drug‐delivery system, the hydrophilicity of PEG and positive charge of CS facilitate the penetration of nanovehicles through the mucus layer. The nanovehicles then adhere to the mucous membrane. Furthermore, the BPQDs degrade rapidly into nontoxic PO43− and acidic H+, thereby promoting the dissociation of PEGylated CS nanospheres, accelerating the release of AM, decreasing the vitality of biofilms for ease of eradication. Our results reveal that drug delivery mediated by BPQDs is a feasible and desirable strategy for precision medicine and promising for the clinical therapy of COPD. A mucus‐penetrating drug‐delivery strategy is designed for the efficient therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). After pulmonary aspiration, nanovehicles can penetrate the mucus barrier and adhere onto the mucous membrane. Subsequently, the nanovehicle degrades via the oxidative degradation of BPQDs, releasing the antibiotic amikacin. This suggests that BPQD‐mediated drug release offers a feasible strategy for precision medicine.