Synthesis of Size‐Tunable Polymeric Nanoparticles Enabled by 3D Hydrodynamic Flow Focusing in Single‐Layer Microchannels

Recently, polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted enormous attention as targeted drug delivery vehicles.[1-4] Especially, biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric NPs comprised of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-b-polyethyleneglycol (PLGA-PEG) block copolymers exhibit optimal physicochemical characteristics such as the ability to incorporate various targeting agents, enhanced immune evasion, controlled drug release, and high payload of drug molecules.[5-6] Targeted PLGA-PEG NPs have shown very promising in vivo results for treatment of cancer[7-9] and they are now poised to enter clinical trials. Preparation of such targeted NPs in a robust and reproducible manner has thus become very important for therapeutic applications where precise control of the physicochemical properties of NPs is required to achieve optimal biodistribution and therapeutic efficacy.[10]