Nanotechnology approaches to drug delivery for the treatment of ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is a major global public health concern that lacks effective treatment options. A significant challenge lies in delivering therapeutic agents to the brain due to the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB's selectivity hampers the delivery of therapeutically relevant quantities of agents to the brain, resulting in a lack of FDA-approved pharmacotherapies for stroke. In this article, we review therapeutic agents that have been evaluated in clinical trials or are currently undergoing clinical trials. Subsequently, we survey strategies for synthesizing and engineering nanoparticles (NPs) for drug delivery to the ischemic brain. We then provide insights into the potential clinical translation of nanomedicine, offering a perspective on its transformative role in advancing stroke treatment strategies. In summary, existing literature suggests that drug delivery represents a major barrier for clinical translation of stroke pharmacotherapies. While nanotechnology has shown significant promise in addressing this challenge, further advancements aimed at improving delivery efficiency and simplifying formulations are necessary for successful clinical translation. • Ischemic stroke is a major global public health concern with no effective treatment options. • Inadequate drug delivery represents a significant hurdle for the clinical translation of pharmacological therapies. • Nanotechnology presents a promising approach to overcoming this drug delivery challenge.