Advantages: (1) As a drug delivery carrier, liposomes have low toxicity and immunogenicity, and their components (phospholipids) have high biocompatibility and biodegradability, which can increase the concentration of drugs (in vivo) and protect them from degradation; (2) They are easily modified with various ligands and functional molecules, and can be used for targeted delivery of drugs and gene drugs.
Disadvantages: (1) The cost of excipients and equipment required for preparing liposomes is relatively high, so the cost of liposome formulations is higher than many formulations, resulting in higher prices for liposomes; (2) When high doses are required for treatment, cationic liposomes may produce high toxicity; (3) Another drawback of liposome formulations with anticancer drugs is their lack of targeting when administered intravenously, which can lead to adverse reactions such as hand foot syndrome; (4) The differences between different batches, sterilization needs, the need to improve encapsulation efficiency, particle size control, shelf life, and residual organic solvents have all been of great concern.
