Polymer–drug conjugates have long been a mainstay of the drug delivery field, with several conjugates successfully translated into clinical practice. The conjugation of therapeutic agents to polymeric carriers, such as polyethylene glycol, offers several advantages, including improved drug solubilization, prolonged circulation, reduced immunogenicity, controlled release and enhanced safety. In this Review, we discuss the rational design, physicochemical characteristics and recent advances in the development of different classes of polymer–drug conjugates, including polymer–protein and polymer–small-molecule drug conjugates, dendrimers, polymer nanoparticles and multifunctional systems. Current obstacles hampering the clinical translation of polymer–drug conjugate therapeutics and future prospects are also presented.

聚合物-药物缀合物长期以来一直是药物递送领域的支柱，有几种缀合物成功转化为临床实践。治疗剂与聚合物载体（例如聚乙二醇）的缀合具有多种优点，包括改善药物溶解、延长循环、降低免疫原性、控制释放和增强安全性。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了不同类别聚合物-药物偶联物的合理设计、理化特性和最新进展，包括聚合物-蛋白质和聚合物-小分子药物偶联物、树枝状聚合物、聚合物纳米颗粒和多功能系统。还介绍了当前阻碍聚合物-药物偶联疗法临床转化的障碍和未来前景。