Modulating senescence for therapeutic delivery

Abstract

Senescence has emerged as a promising therapeutic target in diverse age-related diseases and cancer, owing to its critical roles in tissue homeostasis, chronic inflammation, and tumor progression. Accumulating evidence indicates that senescent cells contribute to disease pathology through various pathophysiological mechanisms. Despite growing interest in exploiting senescence for therapeutic benefit, achieving precise and controllable senescence modulation remains challenging. Current strategies, including senolytics that selectively eliminate senescent cells and senomorphics that suppress senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors, often suffer from limited specificity, off-target toxicity, and inadequate control over treatment timing and dosage. To overcome these limitations, recent research has increasingly focused on interdisciplinary approaches that integrate advances in materials science, nanotechnology, and molecular biology, particularly through the development of advanced delivery systems designed to improve targeting efficiency and therapeutic outcomes. In this review, we summarize recent progress in elucidating the relationship between senescence and disease progression and show representative delivery strategies that demonstrate superior therapeutic potential. Senescence appears to be an encouraging therapeutic target in various diseases. The clinical translation of conventional senotherapeutics remains a major challenge. Advanced drug delivery systems for the targeted modulation of senescent cells exhibit significant promise. Senescence appears to be an encouraging therapeutic target in various diseases. The clinical translation of conventional senotherapeutics remains a major challenge. Advanced drug delivery systems for the targeted modulation of senescent cells exhibit significant promise.