Introduction: The field of nanoparticle-based therapeutic systems is rapidly expanding encompassing a wide variety of practices ranging from detection to diagnosis to treatment. Recently a great potential of nanodiamond (ND) particles as a multimodal imaging/therapy platform has been demonstrated.

Areas covered: This review describes a unique set of properties of ND particles attractive for drug delivery and imaging applications and highlights the most recent ND-based multimodal imaging/therapy approaches and related biocompatibility studies. The spectrum of major advancements includes marked improvements in tumor treatment efficacy and safety based on integration of ND with doxorubicin (DOX). Recent progress of ND-mediated drug delivery in orthopedic, dental and ophthalmic applications is also discussed.

Expert opinion: ND particles possess a unique set of properties attractive for drug delivery applications, including exceptional biocompatibility, large carrier capacity and versatile surface chemistry properties, which enhance drug binding and provide sustainable drug release. Other unique attributes of NDs embrace bright stable fluorescence based on crystallographic defects. A roadmap toward a clinical translation comprises identification of ND-therapeutic compounds that display marked improvements over clinical standards with respects to efficacy, safety and cost.