A plethora of applications using
polysaccharides have been developed
in recent years due to their availability as well as their frequent
nontoxicity and biodegradability. These polymers are usually obtained
from renewable sources or are byproducts of industrial processes,
thus, their use is collaborative in waste management and shows promise
for an enhanced sustainable circular economy. Regarding the development
of novel delivery systems for biotherapeutics, the potential of polysaccharides
is attractive for the previously mentioned properties and also for
the possibility of chemical modification of their structures, their
ability to form matrixes of diverse architectures and mechanical properties,
as well as for their ability to maintain bioactivity following incorporation
of the biomolecules into the matrix. Biotherapeutics, such as proteins,
growth factors, gene vectors, enzymes, hormones, DNA/RNA, and antibodies
are currently in use as major therapeutics in a wide range of pathologies.
In the present review, we summarize recent progress in the development
of polysaccharide-based hydrogels of diverse nature, alone or in combination
with other polymers or drug delivery systems, which have been implemented
in the delivery of biotherapeutics in the pharmaceutical and biomedical
fields.