Bioinspired approaches to encapsulate and deliver bacterial live biotherapeutic products

Abstract

Bacteria-based therapies such as live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) allow for the in situ production of bioactive and therapeutic compounds, offering immense potential in the treatment of numerous diseases, including colitis, cancer, and metabolic diseases. While promising, LBPs face numerous delivery barriers that limit their translational potential. Many of these challenges stem from the specific requirements of delivering living bacteria, necessitating delivery systems with distinctive features beyond traditional drug delivery approaches. By taking inspiration from natural biological systems such as bacterial membranes, capsules, and biofilms, researchers can build upon fundamental biological insights combined with advances in materials science, chemical biology, and bioengineering to develop next-generation LBP delivery systems. In this review, we will cover the current progress in bacterial LBPs and major barriers to their delivery. We will then discuss in depth the different bioinspired LBP delivery systems that have been developed and highlight challenges that must be addressed for this nascent field to advance and achieve widespread clinical translation.