Recent Advances in Nanoparticle-Based Antiretroviral Drug Delivery Systems for HIV Treatment and Prevention: A Comprehensive Review

Background: AIDS disease, caused by HIV, is a highly prevalent disease disturbing global health and swaying economic progress and social fidelity in the world. Purpose: Eradication and cure of HIV infection has been a difficult assignment, and not many highly effective drugs and vaccines are available in the present scenario. Besides, the suboptimal adherence, toxicity, resistance to available drugs, and presence of several viral reservoirs make lifelong HIV infection treatment very challenging. Furthermore, a cure for HIV infection cannot be attained properly unless the latency issue is addressed and antiretroviral drug delivery to its specific cellular reservoir sites for an extended time is resolved. The advancement in nanotechnology could solve these issues with the formulation of advanced drugs in the nano-scale range. Currently, several nano-based architectures and formulations like nanoparticles (gold, silver, copper, and ruthenium) as nanocarriers, carbon nanotubes, liposomes, micelles, and polymer nanomaterials with superior solubility, sustained release, target specificity, long-duration delivery, and simplification of drug–dose reductions are developed which could act as effective HIV drugs/vaccine transporters in combination with available drugs and formulations. Several nano-based drug delivery approaches are suggested to target the CD4+ T cells, which are the primary target of HIV infection. While using nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for HIV treatment, usually, three main strategies, such as the intracellular delivery of the anti-retroviral drugs by the polymeric nanoparticles, brain delivery of the anti-retroviral drugs by the polymeric nanoparticles, and use of the polymeric nanomaterials as an adjuvant for the HIV vaccines, are followed. Conclusion: Though nanotechnology offers many advantages over the conventional system of medications, it also gives rise to many side effects and challenges that need to be rectified for its better application. This review discusses the status and limits of conventional drug treatment and the recent advancements and updated strategies in nano-therapeutics for HIV treatment and cures, along with the possible mechanism of action of nano-mediated drugs, clinical translational challenges, and prospects of advanced nano-drug delivery schemes in HIV prevention and management.