Polymer-drug conjugates: revolutionizing nanotheranostic agents for diagnosis and therapy

Nanotheranostics, an amalgamation of therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities at the nanoscale, is revolutionizing personalized medicine. Polymer-drug conjugates (PDCs) stand at the forefront of this arena, offering a multifaceted approach to treat complex diseases such as cancer. This review explores the recent advancements in PDCs, highlighting their design principles, working mechanisms, and the therapeutic applications. We discuss the incorporation of imaging agents into PDCs that allow for real-time monitoring of drug delivery and treatment efficacy. With the aim of improving patient care, the review examines how PDCs enable targeted drug delivery, minimize side effects, and provide valuable diagnostic data, hence enhancing the precision of medical interventions. We also address the challenges facing the clinical translation of PDCs, such as scalability, regulatory hurdles, and cost-effectiveness, providing a comprehensive outlook on the future of nanotheranostics in patient management.