Nanopharmaceuticals as a solution to neglected diseases: Is it possible?

- Neglected Tropical Diseases affect large populations with little visibility and low political voice.
- Few new drugs are in pipeline to treat 17 reported Neglected Tropical Diseases.
- Nanocarriers are promising devices for the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases.

The study of neglected diseases has not received much attention, especially from public and private institutions over the last years, in terms of strong support for developing treatment for these diseases. Support in the form of substantial amounts of private and public investment is greatly needed in this area. Due to the lack of novel drugs for these diseases, nanobiotechnology has appeared as an important new breakthrough for the treatment of neglected diseases. Recently, very few reviews focusing on filiarasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, and tuberculosis, and dengue virus have been published. New developments in nanocarriers have made promising advances in the treatment of several kinds of diseases with less toxicity, high efficacy and improved bioavailability of drugs with extended release and fewer applications. This review deals with the current status of nanobiotechnology in the treatment of neglected diseases and highlights how it provides key tools for exploring new perspectives in the treatment of a wide range of diseases.

Nanotechnology appears to bring novel therapeutic devices using available drugs in the market to efficiently treat Neglected Diseases with less toxicity, high efficacy and improved bioavailability of drugs with extended release.213