Chiral assemblies for enantioselective nano-bio interactions and therapeutic translation

Qianyun Ye

Xiyuan Li

Xiaohuan Sun

Jie Han

*Correspondence to: Xiaohuan Sun, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Green & Functional Materials and Environmental Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China. E-mail: xhuansun@yzu.edu.cn
Jie Han, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Green & Functional Materials and Environmental Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China. E-mail: hanjie@yzu.edu.cn

Chiral Chem. 2027;3:202638. 10.70401/cc.2026.0048

Received: August 10, 2026Accepted: November 02, 2026Published: November 04, 2026

This manuscript is made available in its unedited form to allow early access to the reported findings. Further editing will be completed before final publication. As such, the content may include errors, and standard legal disclaimers are applicable.

Abstract

Living systems possess intrinsic homochirality, yet this stereochemical characteristic is frequently neglected in conventional nanomedicine design. Chiral assemblies are capable of regulating nano-bio interactions in an enantioselective fashion, offering a promising strategy to boost anticancer therapeutic efficacy. This review systematically outlines recent progress in chiral assemblies, with a core focus on the enantioselective modulation of nano-bio interfacial affinity across three key aspects: biomolecule recognition, protein adsorption, cellular uptake and subcellular organelle targeting. We further summarize chirality-dependent anticancer modalities, including catalytic therapy, chemotherapy, phototherapy, and immunotherapy. Overall, the discussed studies illustrate how interfacial stereochemical effects can influence therapeutic outcomes, while also highlighting the remaining challenges in translating these concepts into practical nanomedicine.

Keywords

Chiral assemblies, enantioselectivity, nano-bio interaction, cancer therapy, chirality

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Ye Q, Li X, Sun X, Han J. Chiral assemblies for enantioselective nano-bio interactions and therapeutic translation. Chiral Chem. 2027;3:202638. https://doi.org/10.70401/cc.2026.0048