Table 1.

Summary of Minimal-Carrier Drug Delivery Systems.

Name	API	Fabrication	Size (nm)	API Release	Indication	Efficacy	API Loading (w/w%)	Ref
DOX NPs †	DOX	Solvent Exchange	60	Diffusion	4T1 tumor	↑ 2.6X tumor inhibition	90	[44]
HCPT NCs	HCPT	Precipitation + homogenization	130	Diffusion	4T1 tumor	↑ 10X uptake ↑ 2X tumor inhibition	75	[45]
PTX NRs	PTX	Solvent Exchange	500 ×40	Diffusion	KB cells	↑ 10X cytotoxicity	93	[46]
CPT-PEG NFs	CPT	Self-assembly + PEG coating	1000× 100	pH	4T1 SKOV-3, OVCAR-3, MDA- MB-468, MDA-MB- 231 cells	↑ 5X blood T1/2	85	[47]
CPT-SS- GEM NPs	CPT, GEM	Self-assembly with disulfide bond	100–200	Redox	A549, NCI-H460, HCT116, HT-29, MCF-7/ADR	↑ 2X uptake	42 CPT 32 GEM	[48]
GEM-CPT NPs	GT, CPT	Self-assembly with disulfide bond	41	Redox	HeLa, MCF-7 cells	↑ 6X release	75	[49]
DTX-OA NPs	DTX, OA	Self-assembly with thioether linker	153	Redox	PC3, MCF-7 cells	↑ 5X release	57.8	[50]
MTX-HCPT NPs	MTX, HCPT	Co-assembly	160	pH/redox	HeLa MCF-7, A549, NIH-3 T3 cells	↑ 3X uptake ↑ 1.25X drug accumulation	91.2	[51]
MTX-DOX MTX-CPT NPs	MTX, DOX, CPT	Self-assembly with disulfide linker	80 (CPT) 39 (DOX)	pH/redox	MCF-7 tumor	↑ 2.7X tumor inhibition	N/A	[52]
HCPT- DOX NPs	HCPT , DOX	Co-assembly	232	Diffusion	MCF-7 tumor	↑ 1.6X nuclear accumulation	N/A	[53]
H 2 TPPS- DOX NPs	DOX	Self-assembly	90	PDT	Anti-MCF-7/ADR cells	↑ 2.6X drug release	42	[54]
SN38-Ce6 NPs	SN38	Antisolvent precipitation	150	PDT	4T1 tumor	↑ 1.3–4.5X tumor inhibition	N/A	[55]
CPT-GEM- AIEgens NSs	CPT, GEM	Self-assembly	150	NIR	A549 cells	↑ 2.5X tumor inhibition	N/A	[56]
DOX- NH4CO3- PDA NPs	DOX	Co-assembly with PDA coating	70	NIR	HeLa cells	↑ 1.7X photothermal effect	85	[57]
Ir/Cb NPs	Ir and Cb	Self-assembly with ester linker	88	pH/hydro lysis	MCF-7 tumor	↑ 20X blood retention, +1.8X tumor inhibition	N/A	[58]
MTX-CPT NPs	MTX, CPT	Self-assembly with ester linker	N/A	pH/hydro lysis	N/A	N/A	N/A	[59]

^†NPs: nanoparticles; NRs: nanorods; NCs: nanocrystals; NFs: nanofibers; NSs: nanospheres