Targeted Drug Delivery Strategies in Overcoming Antimicrobial Resistance: Advances and Future Directions

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a present, pressing global public health crisis associated with rising morbidity and mortality rates due to previously curable infectious disease. Targeted drug delivery is an important approach to address AMR due to its ability to improve the therapeutic performance of antibiotics without leading to any adverse effects or organ toxicities. In this review we explore molecular mechanisms of AMR and drawbacks of conventional antibiotic therapies and discuss unique drug delivery approaches to compensate these. Nanoparticulate carrier systems, stimuli-responsive systems, antibody–drug conjugates, and CRISPR-Cas systems are some of the carrier method designs that are promising for tackling hard to treat infections related to pathogenic strains and biofilms due to their features. Many of these are among the most significant advances in the field. However, there are many challenges to be overcome, with biological limitations, scaling and regulatory challenges, etc., before they can be employed in commercial applications. Materials are being developed, and an approach standardized and applicable to future work is in development to improve the efficiency of targeted delivery systems. Controlled drug delivery, which could be the answer to an increasing AMR problem, will not only help in alerting awareness among individuals but will also help in prolonging the activity of antibiotics by providing synergistic interdisciplinary solutions. This review emphasizes the complementary role of targeted drug delivery in transitioning from laboratory investigations to clinical therapy. It addresses underrepresented aspects, including new materials, scalability, regulatory considerations, and ethical implications, while offering a roadmap for translating innovations into next-generation antimicrobials.