Hyaluronic acid-based nanosystems for theranostic delivery and imaging

In recent years, novel approaches including targeted drug delivery systems have attracted to correctly diagnose diseases at the early stages, minimize side effects of drugs, and obtaining better treatment responses. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural glycosaminoglycan, is widely used in pharmaceutical, biomedical, and cosmetic applications due to its biocompatible, biodegradable, nontoxic, nonimmunogenic, and chemically modifiable properties. Furthermore, HA can be used as a hydrophilic polymer or an active targeting ligand in the formulation of nanosized systems or drug conjugates. The use of HA as a hydrophilic polymer increases the drug solubility and bioavailability, and it provides to escape from opsonization by macrophages in blood circulation. HA also plays a critical role in the targeting of drugs or nanosystems to cancer cells that overexpress CD44, LYVE-1, and HMM receptors. Therefore, various studies regarding HA-based nanosized systems and drug conjugates have been studied to develop more effective imaging and/or therapeutic agents. This chapter aims to summarize the properties of HA, review the role of HA in drug conjugates, and explain the importance and advantages of HA in future aspects including nanosized drug delivery systems and theranostic approach for imaging and/or therapy. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.