Metallic and lipid nanoparticles against multidrug resistant candida: advances and translational hurdles.

Introduction: Among the many ongoing difficulties, Candida infections present significant clinical hurdles due to the rapid development of resistance, recurrent episodes, and the limited effectiveness of conventional therapies. In recent decades, metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have shown a specific impact ( > 84% Candida biofilm inhibition in pre-clinical models) by addressing the critical challenges of mitigating drug side effects and multidrug resistance (MDR).

Areas Covered: This paper provides an in-depth overview of synthesis, fabrication, mechanistic insights, preclinical and clinical practices for MNPs and LNPs, discussing and highlighting their therapeutic efficacy against resistant Candida species over traditional methods. Literature was sourced from peer-reviewed journals and databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, WIPO, and Clinical Trials up to May 2025.

Expert Opinion: The potential of hybrid MNP-LNP systems with surface modification enables functionalization with targeting ligands and more specific binding toward fungal cells to enhance the therapeutic index. In addition, combining drug-loaded MNPs and LNPs with artificial intelligence (AI), photodynamic, gene, or immune therapies, offers a comprehensive and innovative solution for MDR Candida. However, addressing regulatory complexity still needs to be considered toward optimizing the stability and scalability of MNPs and LNPs for clinically meaningful translation.