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This study aims to develop sorafenib-loaded self-assembled nanoparticles (SFB-SANPs) using the combined approach of artificial neural network and design of experiments (ANN-DoE) and to compare it with other machine learning (ML) models. The central composite design (CCD) and ML algorithms were used to screen the effects of concentrations of both the polymers (polyethyleneimine and fucoidan) on the outcome responses, i.e., particle size and entrapment efficiency with defined constraints. The prediction from different ML models (bootstrap forest, K-nearest neighbors, artificial neural network, generalized regression-lasso and support vector machines) were compared with ANN-DoE model. The ANN-DoE model showed better accuracy and predictability and outperformed all the other models. This depicted that the concept of using ANN and DoE combination approach provided the best, uncomplicated and cost-effective way to optimized the nanoformulations. The optimized formulation generated from the ANN-DoE combined model was further evaluated for characterization and anticancer activity. The optimized SFB-SANPs were prepared using the polyelectrolyte complexation method with Polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a cationic polymer and fucoidan (FCD) as an anionic. The SFB-SANPs were nanometric in size (280.4 ± 0.089 nm) and slightly anionic in nature (zeta potential = -6.03 ± 0.92 mV) with an encapsulation efficiency of 95.56 ± 0.30 %. The drug release from SFB-SANPs was controlled and sustained in the cancer microenvironment (pH 5.0). The SFB-SANPs were compatible with red blood cells (RBCs), and the % hemolysis was found to be <5.0 %. The anticancer activity of the SFB-SANPs exhibited an IC 50 at 2.017 ± 0.516 μM against MDMB-231 cells, showing a significantly high inhibitory effect on breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the nanocarriers developed using various ML tools inherit a huge promise in anticancer drug delivery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since the ground-breaking discovery of RNA interference (RNAi), scientists have made significant progress in the field of small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatments. Due to severe barriers to the therapeutic application of siRNA, nanoparticle technologies for siRNA delivery have been designed. For pathological circumstances such as viral infection, toxic RNA abnormalities, malignancies, and hereditary diseases, siRNAs are potential therapeutic agents. However, systemic administration of siRNAs in vivo remains a substantial issue due to a lack of "drug-likeness" (siRNA are relatively larger than drugs and have low hydrophobicity), physiological obstacles, and possible toxicities. This write-up covers important accomplishment in the field of clinical trials and patents specially based of siRNAs using targeting viruses. Furthermore, it offers deep insight of nanoparticle applied for siRNA delivery and strategies to improve the effectiveness of antivirals., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

Oral drug administration is the oldest and widely used method for drug administration. The objectives behind developing an oral drug delivery for the treatment of cancer are to achieve low cost treatment by utilizing novel techniques to target cancer through gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and to enhance patient comfort and compliance through a hospital-free treatment leading to "Chemotherapy at Home." Unfortunately, due to the physiological environment of the GIT and physicochemical properties of drug candidate, the efficacy of oral drug delivery methods is limited in the treatment of cancer. Due to their low hydrophilicity, high P-gp efflux and restricted intestinal permeability most of the anti-cancer drugs fail to achieve oral bioavailability. The review focuses on the efforts, challenges, opportunities and studies conducted by scientists worldwide on the oral administration of anticancer medications via nanocarriers such as liposomes, SLNs and dendrimers, because of their potential to overcome the epithelial barrier associated with GALT, as well as the applications of different polymers in targeting the cancer. The oral delivery can set newer horizons in cancer therapy to make it more patient friendly., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)