Nanoparticle-based strategies to target HIV-infected cells

Antiretroviral drugs employed for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections have remained largely ineffective due to their poor bioavailability, numerous adverse effects, modest uptake in infected cells, undesirable drug-drug interactions, the necessity for long-term drug therapy, and lack of access to tissues and reservoirs. Nanotechnology-based interventions could serve to overcome several of these disadvantages and thereby improve the therapeutic efficacy of antiretrovirals while reducing the morbidity and mortality due to the disease. However, attempts to use nanocarriers for the delivery of anti-retroviral drugs have started gaining momentum only in the past decade. This review explores in-depth the various nanocarriers that have been employed for the treatment of HIV infections highlighting their merits and possible demerits. [Display omitted] •Viral reservoirs make it challenging to completely eradicate HIV.•Nanocarriers improve bioavailability of the drug.•Nanocarriers significantly reduce the viral load when compared to free drug.•Surface modification of drug-loaded nanocarriers impart target-specificity.•Nanocarriers facilitate multi-modal therapy against HIV.