Magnetic-targeted delivery techniques are similar to drug delivery and have great potential for the delivery of therapeutic genes. Magnetic delivery offers great possibilities for solving current problems of effective delivery in gene therapy. In these systems, magnetic nanoparticle in gene deliverycarry therapeutic or reporter genes, which are then focused onto the target site/cells by means of high field/high gradient magnets. This technique increases the concentration of the therapeutic gene while reducing the retention of the therapeutic gene elsewhere in the body.

In contrast to virus-based systems, these nanomaterial vectors have highly tunable surface properties, size, and composition. Recently, advances in nanomaterial technology have enabled researchers to prepare novel magnetic nanomaterial vectors as outstanding gene delivery vehicles that can be more effectively trapped and targeted. New strategies are being developed for applying magnetic fields, which may lead to the treatment of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and localized cancerous tumors.

Fig.1 In vivo gene delivery using magnectofection. (Uthaman S, et al., 2016)