Advances in Cell-Mediated Drug Delivery for Dermatologic Diseases: Mechanisms and Current Applications

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

11-7-2025

Journal

Pharmaceutics

Volume

17

Issue

11

DOI

10.3390/pharmaceutics17111438

Keywords

cell-mediated drug delivery; cells; cutaneous; dermatological drug delivery; epidermis; skin; skin conditions; targeted; targeted drug delivery; tissue

Abstract

Cell-mediated drug delivery systems represent a promising frontier in dermatologic therapy by offering enhanced targeting precision, prolonged drug release, and reduced systemic toxicity. These systems leverage the intrinsic properties of immune cells, stem cells, and skin-resident cells to migrate toward inflamed or diseased skin and deliver therapeutic agents in a controlled and biocompatible manner. This review explores the mechanistic foundations of cell-mediated delivery, including chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and immune modulation, and examines current applications in inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, cutaneous malignancies such as melanoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and chronic wound healing. Engineering approaches such as cell surface modification, exosome loading, and integration with gene editing technologies are also discussed. Finally, we highlight translational challenges related to immunogenicity, manufacturing scalability, and regulatory considerations, and propose future directions for clinical adoption in dermatology. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and outlines the potential for cell-based delivery systems to transform the treatment of chronic and refractory skin diseases.

Department

Dermatology

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