Polymeric particulates for subunit vaccine delivery

Vaccines still represent the best long-term treatment option for reducing many infectious diseases, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), malaria, and tuberculosis. Therefore, to effectively combat these severe diseases, it is of utmost importance to develop and explore novel and more efficient delivery modalities and administration routes. In this context, new polymeric nano- and microparticulate delivery platforms may represent an alternative and/or complementary therapeutic option. With the help of modern polymer chemistry, an increased number of sophisticated architectures have been developed, although these materials are in terms of bio applications still in relatively early stages. Therefore, a lot of recent attention has been dedicated to designing and tailoring novel particulates delivery systems with focus to create more efficient delivery platform. Various structures, including nanogels, nanocapsules, nano- and microparticles, dendrimers, and different hierarchical assemblies in solution have been studied in vaccine delivery. However, none of these explored platforms until now fully complies with basic delivery requirements like biocompatibility, non-toxicity, high encapsulation efficiency, and the ability to induce prolonged immune responses. In general, the unique structural and mechanical properties of polymers and their abilities to create three-dimensional structures or hybrid systems is under intensive investigation and hold a great promise in vaccine delivery.