Nanoparticle-mediated siRNA delivery systems for cancer therapy

The small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapeutics have raised great attention since the first RNA interference (RNAi)-derived drug, patisiran, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, which represented a landmark in the field of gene therapy. Given the properties of interfering disease-associated gene expression, RNAi machinery is regarded as an essential factor for preparing precise medicine. However, over the past few years, siRNA drugs are undergoing a period of clinical translation, in which the major hurdle is the limited efficient delivery strategies. Therefore, this mini-review mainly focuses on describing the state-of-the-art of the nanoscale platforms for delivering siRNA payloads, also addressing their applications in cancer therapy. Finally, the status of siRNA drugs under clinical trials is discussed, providing a comprehensive understanding on the field of oligonucleotide-mediated therapeutics.