Albumin Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapeutics: Clinical Status, Challenges, and Future Directions

Cancer, a global health burden, is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and metastasis, often resulting in debilitating treatments and mortality. While conventional therapeutic strategies have improved survival rates, they are limited by challenges such as off-target toxicity and drug resistance. With their design to enable targeted drug delivery, nanoparticles have presented a promising avenue to overcome these limitations. Protein-based nanoparticles, particularly those based on albumin, are notable for their biocompatibility, stability, and ease of modification. The approval of Abraxane, an albumin-based nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel, for metastatic breast cancer marked a significant milestone. However, further approvals have been slow to materialize until the recent approval of Fyarro® in 2021. This mini-review highlights the potential of albumin-based nanoparticles, focusing on their advantages, their current state, and progress in clinical use as anticancer therapeutics. We also discuss challenges impeding new approvals and future directions for unlocking the full potential of this technology.