Hepatocyte-specific drug delivery using active targeted nanomedicines - evaluation of targeting strategies in vitro and in vivo

Hepatic disorders affect millions of people around the globe and incidence rates are further
increasing. While survival rates have improved for most diseases during recent decades, liver diseases
still represent a considerable public health burden. Current therapies for diseases of hepatocytes are
limited and in most cases only treat symptoms. Therefore, improved therapeutic technologies are
urgently needed. Targeted nanomedicines for the delivery of small molecules or nucleic acids have
the potential to overcome the lack of satisfactory and alternative treatment options. This PhD
project focused on the development of novel nanomedicines for active drug delivery to liver
parenchymal cells. These technologies offer the possibility to specifically target hepatocytes,
thus giving access to a defined cell type within the liver. This strategy is of great interest for diagnostic and
therapeutic medical applications in the treatment of liver disorders.