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Polymeric nanoparticles prepared using high pressure homogenizer (HPH) present some unique challenges during manufacturing which can be better understood by application of quality by design (QbD) approaches. The present review highlights the ways to identify the critical material attributes which includes the anticancer drugs, polymers, surfactants, solvent system and dispersion system. A comprehensive understanding of the critical processing parameters like pressure and number of cycles during the working of HPH used in putting forward the critical quality attributes such as size, shape, surface charge or droplet stabilization. Such QbD approach will involve development of an effective control strategy for would ensure safe encapsulation of anticancer drugs for successful product development. Proper addressing of the issues related to scaling-up would lead to successful commercialization of the nano-sized formulations loaded with anticancer drugs.

Folate receptors (FRs) are expressed in vast majority of cancers. Selective targeting of the FRs is, therefore, one of the most popular and sought‐after strategies for improving the efficacy of cancer therapeutics. Variety of approaches involving folate conjugation to several well‐known and novel, nontoxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible (co)polymers have been attempted and successfully applied to a large number of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems (micelles, liposomes, nanoparticles, quantum dots, mesoporous silica‐based materials, and others) in the last decade‐and‐a‐half. Standard and novel synthetic approaches were utilized for the conjugation, followed by the formulation of the drug delivery modality. In most of the cases, the targeted system lived up to its reputation, validating its usefulness in targeted cancer therapeutics. The present review summarizes the progress and state‐of‐the‐art synthetic methodologies for folate conjugation to (co)polymers, drugs, and nucleic acids. The limitations of the FR targeting are discussed in brief to give the reader the other side of the story. Finally, the information on marketed folic acid conjugates highlight their industrial applications.

Bioelectronic medicines (BEMs) constitute a branch of bioelectronic devices (BEDs), which are a class of therapeutics that combine neuroscience with molecular biology, immunology, and engineering technologies. Thus, BEMs are the culmination of thought processes of scientists of varied fields and herald a new era in the treatment of chronic diseases. BEMs work on the principle of neuromodulation of nerve stimulation. Examples of BEMs based on neuromodulation are those that modify neural circuits through deep brain stimulation, vagal nerve stimulation, spinal nerve stimulation, and retinal and auditory implants. BEDs may also serve as diagnostic tools by mimicking human sensory systems. Two examples of in vitro BEDs used as diagnostic agents in biomedical applications based on in vivo neurosensory circuits are the bioelectronic nose and bioelectronic tongue. The review discusses the ever-growing application of BEDs to a wide variety of health conditions and practices to improve the quality of life.