Vesicle-based drug carriers: Liposomes, polymersomes, and niosomes

Abstract Phospholipids, block copolymers and surfactants are surface-active molecules that assemble into bilayer structures in aqueous solutions, forming nanoscale vesicles: phospholipid-based liposomes, polymer-based polymersomes, or surfactant-based niosomes. These vesicles are highly versatile and can be used for the delivery of pharmaceutical agents—enabling targeted and controlled release while shielding the encapsulated drugs from environmental degradation agents and the immune system. The performance of vesicle-based drug carriers has been shown to depend on both their constituent chemistry (e.g., surface moieties) and their physical properties (size, shape). This review examines the characteristics of vesicle-based formulations and their application to biomedical applications ranging from cancer therapies to delivery across the blood–brain barrier (BBB).