Hyaluronic Acid-Based Nanotechnologies for Delivery and Treatment

Over the past years, the use of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based nanotechnologies has become an interesting field of research with specific reference to their capability to safely deliver therapeutic agents to selected cell types. HA is a natural polysaccharide present in the extracellular matrix and synovial fluids. It is biocompatible, biodegradable, approved for several clinical applications and known to improve water retention, as well as promote anti-inflammatory effects. Several membrane-bound receptors interact with HA, and CD44 is one of the most studied to deliver anti-cancer agents intracellularly via a receptor-mediated mechanism. Nanoparticles formulated to enhance target-ligand interactions (i.e., HA-CD44 axis) were found to improve the selectivity and delivery of therapeutics to cancer cells, reduce side effects, and effectively address many clinical needs. This chapter will discuss how HA-based nanoparticles are formulated to safely deliver therapeutic agents to cancer cells, focusing on the use of HA to decorate the surface of nanoparticles hence exploiting the interaction with CD44-expressing cancer cells. Considerations on the manufacturing methods and characterization of nanotherapeutics will also be discussed, with final remarks on the delivery of nucleic acids/therapeutics using HA-based nanotechnologies.