Toward improved selectivity of targeted delivery: the potential of magnetic nanoparticles.

Magnetic nanoparticles, mostly iron oxide-based nanoparticles, have long been used as contrasting agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications, heat mediators in hyperthermia treatments and carriers for targeted drug delivery. Magnetic nanoparticles offer some attractive characteristics for targeted drug delivery such as drug carrying ability, nano-scale dimensions and magnetism-driven selective targeting. In this issue, Escribano et al. demonstrated that iron oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles with an implanted magnet can improve selective targeting to the site of inflammation. This result opens a promising avenue for magnetic drug targeting to inflammatory diseases.