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Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a radiotherapy treatment based on the accumulation in the tumor of a ¹⁰B-containing drug and subsequent irradiation with low energy neutrons, which bring about the decay of ¹⁰B to ⁷Li and an α particle, causing the death of the neoplastic cell. The effectiveness of BNCT is limited by the low delivery and accumulation of the used boron-containing compounds. Here we report the development and the characterization of BPO₄ nanoparticles (NPs) as a novel possible alternative drug for BNCT. An extensive analysis of BPO₄ NP biocompatibility was performed using both mature blood cells (erythrocytes, neutrophils and platelets) and a model of hematopoietic progenitor cells. A time- and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity study was performed on neoplastic coloncarcinoma and osteosarcoma cell lines. BPO₄ functionalization with folic acid, introduced to improve the …