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Recent advances in novel drug carriers and advanced administration routes for inner ear drug delivery: challenges and future perspectives
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DOI：10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126949.png)
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Abstract
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Hearing loss (HL) affects over 1.5 billion people worldwide. The blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) and the tympanic membrane (TM) can hinder the effectiveness of clinical treatments by preventing conventional drug delivery methods from precisely targeting the inner ear. This study aims to systematically summarise and analyse recent advances in novel drug carriers and delivery methods for inner ear drug delivery. This will provide theoretical support for the development of safe and effective HL treatment strategies. The review outlines the core characteristics of the latest invasive and non-invasive delivery routes and analyzes the design optimization points and in vivo and vitro application efficacy of novel nanocarriers, hydrogels, and gene carriers. The results suggest that non-invasive routes offer significant advantages in terms of safety and patient compliance, and that multifunctional novel carriers can substantially enhance drug accumulation levels within the inner ear. These approaches effectively protect cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons, thereby improving treatment outcomes for sensorineural hearing loss. However, critical challenges remain, such as the difficulty of regulating barriers and the imbalance between carrier performance and biocompatibility. Future efforts should therefore focus on precisely regulating the BLB and the TM, developing smart carriers and optimising clinical translation strategies. This will facilitate the efficient transition of inner ear drug delivery technologies from fundamental research to clinical application.
Keywords:
inner ear drug delivery
blood-labyrinth barrier
tympanic membrane
novel drug carriers
gene carriers
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