Peptide-Based Coacervates for Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery: Design, Mechanisms, and Applications
- 1Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois, United States, 61801
- 2Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, CV Raman Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, 560012
Abstract
Peptide-based coacervates have emerged as a versatile platform for stimuli-responsive drug delivery, leveraging their unique physicochemical properties and dynamic phase behaviour. These coacervates, formed through liquid-liquid phase separation of peptide sequences, offer tunable encapsulation and release, making them promising candidates for biomedical applications. This review explores the fundamental principles governing peptide coacervation, emphasizing the impact of both endogenous and exogenous stimulus such as pH, temperature, redox conditions, metal ions, magnetic fields, enzymes and light on the coacervation process and how this can be harnessed for drug delivery applications. Special attention is given to the molecular design strategies that enhance the responsiveness of peptide-based coacervates, including sequence modifications, incorporation of non-canonical amino acids, and conjugation with functional moieties. Additionally, we discuss recent advancements in the synthesis and characterization of these materials, highlighting their potential in gene therapy, cancer treatment, and regenerative medicine. Finally we give an outlook to future-possibilities and remaining challenges for the use of this promising platform for next-generation therapeutic applications.
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BibTeX
@misc{bharadwaj2026peptidebased,
title = {{Peptide-Based Coacervates for Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery: Design, Mechanisms, and Applications}},
author = {Krishna S Bharadwaj and Sharat Sarmah and Mrinmoy De},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15008134/v1},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008134/v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Peptide-Based Coacervates for Stimuli-Responsive Drug Delivery: Design, Mechanisms, and Applications
AU - Krishna S Bharadwaj
AU - Sharat Sarmah
AU - Mrinmoy De
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15008134/v1
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008134/v1
AB - Peptide-based coacervates have emerged as a versatile platform for stimuli-responsive drug delivery, leveraging their unique physicochemical properties and dynamic phase behaviour. These coacervates, formed through liquid-liquid phase separation of peptide sequences, offer tunable encapsulation and release, making them promising candidates for biomedical applications. This review explores the fundamental principles governing peptide coacervation, emphasizing the impact of both endogenous and exogenous stimulus such as pH, temperature, redox conditions, metal ions, magnetic fields, enzymes and light on the coacervation process and how this can be harnessed for drug delivery applications. Special attention is given to the molecular design strategies that enhance the responsiveness of peptide-based coacervates, including sequence modifications, incorporation of non-canonical amino acids, and conjugation with functional moieties. Additionally, we discuss recent advancements in the synthesis and characterization of these materials, highlighting their potential in gene therapy, cancer treatment, and regenerative medicine. Finally we give an outlook to future-possibilities and remaining challenges for the use of this promising platform for next-generation therapeutic applications.
ER -