Lipid-polymer hybrid nanocarriers for delivering cancer therapeutics

The ambit of nanotechnology to bring about carriers that are target-specific in order to achieve desired therapeutic response is gaining significance in medical and pharmaceutical field. The development of polymer lipid hybrid nanoparticles for codelivery of hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs is a new revolution in the field and has helped to overcome many of the limitations associated with cancer therapy. The advent of hybrid nanoparticles is expected to be advantageous over chemotherapy or radiation therapy as cancer chemotherapeutics. The increased interest in such nanoparticles can be attributed to their target-specific action, ease of controlling release, and ability to provide controlled release. Further, pegylated hybrid nanoparticles can avoid opsonization and thus help to increase the circulation half-life of the drugs. This chapter will focus on the advantages, disadvantages, methods of preparation, applications in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and future prospects of polymer lipid hybrid nanoparticles.