Chapter 14: Click Chemistry in Polymer–Drug Conjugates

Polymer–drug conjugates have attracted significant attention due to their numerous benefits, including enhanced drug aqueous solubility, controlled delivery and release, increased efficacy, and improved pharmacokinetics. Since its introduction in 1999, “click chemistry” has been utilized as a powerful and versatile tool for the conjugation of bioactive components to polymeric systems via covalent bonds. The combination of different polymerization techniques and validated click reactions has facilitated the design of well-defined, multi-functional and responsive polymer–drug conjugates of various architectures. Success in this field, in terms of translation to clinical practice, has been limited due to a variety of unique challenges. However, the research done in this area so far is very promising for the future of polymeric drug delivery systems and theranostics. Hence, this chapter will focus on the rational design of polymer–drug conjugates synthesized via click chemistry. Readers will be given an overview of the polymer–drug conjugate field regarding new architectures and complexity in design, and the use of the click chemistry concept in these designs.