Localized Drug Delivery Systems in High‐Grade Glioma Therapy—From Construction to Application
Margarethe Hauck, Dana Hellmold, Carolin Kubelt, Michael Synowitz, Rainer Adelung, Fabian Schütt, Janka Held‐Feindt
Abstract
Abstract High‐grade gliomas are the most common and most malign primary brain tumors. Current therapy approaches only reach unsatisfactory results, still not providing a long‐lasting time to relapse or a curative treatment. A novel approach to overcome the present challenges of medical attendance, as drug resistance, systemic side effects, and limited drug availability due to the blood‐brain barrier, are localized drug delivery systems (DDSs), which are already used in clinical trials. Further development of this therapy regime may clearly improve patient's outcomes. In order to design compact, biocompatible, robust, and highly flexible systems which permit a prolonged drug release, a broad knowledge of the technical and medical field is required. Thus, this interdisciplinary article reviews different designs, testing, and validation models, and finally, clinical applications of localized DDSs, to utilize this available experience as a basis for the desperately needed reform of glioma treatment.