Delivery of erlotinib for enhanced cancer treatment: An update review on particulate systems

Abstract Erlotinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor that has been approved for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and highly aggressive pancreatic cancer. Although erlotinib contributes progressively to cancer treatment, there is still room to develop a better platform for erlotinib-based therapy. The progression of the materials science field has offered many options to incorporate drugs with additional advantages. In this review, we summarize various strategies, including polymeric, lipidic, inorganic and hybrid-based carriers, to improve drug pharmacokinetics, reduce interpatient variability and minimize unwanted side effects. Moreover, the combination of erlotinib with other therapeutic agents or modalities is further discussed as a potential paradigm for realizing better efficacy and/or lower systemic toxicity in clinical practice.