NANOVESICULAR TOPICAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR PSORIASIS MANAGEMENT: FROM LIPOSOMES TO INVASOMES—MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS, TRANSLATIONAL ADVANCES, AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES.
Abstract
Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing, immune-mediated inflammatory dermatosis characterized by epidermal hyperproliferation, aberrant keratinocyte differentiation, angiogenesis, and sustained activation of the IL-23/Th17 inflammatory axis. Despite remarkable advances in systemic biologics and targeted immunotherapies, topical treatment remains the cornerstone for managing mild-to-moderate psoriasis and an essential adjunct in severe disease. However, conventional topical formulations often demonstrate limited therapeutic efficacy owing to inadequate penetration across the stratum corneum, poor drug retention, instability of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and dose-related adverse effects. Recent advances in nanotechnology have revolutionized topical drug delivery through the development of nanovesicular systems capable of enhancing drug permeation, increasing epidermal retention, improving pharmacokinetic performance, and reducing systemic exposure. Liposomes, niosomes, transfersomes, ethosomes, transethosomes, glycerosomes, hyalurosomes, and invasomes represent successive generations of vesicular carriers specifically engineered to overcome the skin barrier. Among these systems, invasomes have emerged as highly promising ultradeformable vesicles owing to the synergistic action of phospholipids, ethanol, and terpenes, which collectively facilitate deeper skin penetration and improved therapeutic outcomes. This review critically evaluates the evolution of nanovesicular technologies for psoriasis management, emphasizing mechanistic aspects of skin penetration, formulation design, physicochemical characterization, preclinical and clinical evidence, translational challenges, regulatory considerations, and future perspectives. Particular emphasis is placed on recent advances reported between 2020 and 2026 and their potential to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and clinical application