JO

Journal of Controlled Release

Journal of Controlled Release is the official journal of the Controlled Release Society and the Japan Society of Drug Delivery System. It publishes high-quality research in delivery science and technology, including drug delivery systems and formulation science across pharmaceutical, diagnostic, agricultural, environmental, cosmetic, and food industries, with priority given to work that advances fundamental understanding or demonstrates advantages of novel technologies in safety and efficacy over current clinical standards.

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Subject Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Impact Factor 11.5
Quartile Q1
Open Access Type Hybrid
ISSN 0168-3659
eISSN 1873-4995
Invitation Only No
Cost Range USD 4220 APC for open access articles; no open access publication fee for subscription publication.

Submission Instructions

Journal of Controlled Release accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Original Research Articles

Cover Letter A submission letter is required. The submission letter must explain in one paragraph the originality and significance of the submitted work and publication must be approved by all authors.
Abstract An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be unstructured and concise and factual.
Manuscript Manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings, including an introduction stating the objectives and a methods section with enough detail for independent reproduction. The manuscript must include 1 to 6 English keywords, an acknowledgements section before the references, a funding declaration section headed 'Role of the funding source' before the references, co-author contributions using CRediT roles, and if generative AI was used in manuscript preparation, a declaration section placed before the references.
References References must be cited in the text by number in square brackets. References must be numbered in the order of appearance, be cited consistently in the text and reference list, include core bibliographic details, and use LTWA abbreviations for journal names.
Figures & Tables Figures must be uploaded as separate files and tables must be provided as editable text. All figures and tables must be cited in the text, numbered consecutively, and include captions.
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Review Articles

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and Review Articles must additionally include a separate Review Proposal file uploaded in Editorial Manager. The cover letter must explain in one paragraph the originality and significance of the submitted work, and the separate Review Proposal must state the review's relevance to the journal readership, drug delivery science, and beyond, describe its originality and timeliness, summarize the authors' expertise and track record, and list the authors' five best publications in drug delivery science and/or general.
Abstract An abstract is required. The abstract must not exceed 250 words. The abstract must be concise and factual and no structured format is specified.
Manuscript The manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. The submission must include 1 to 6 keywords in English, a graphical abstract submitted as a separate file, a declaration of generative AI use in a new section before the references if such tools were used in manuscript preparation, and a separate 'Role of the funding source' section before the references.
References References must be cited in the text by number within square brackets. References must be numbered in the order they appear in the article, all cited references must appear in the reference list and vice versa, entries must include core bibliographic details, and journal names must be abbreviated according to LTWA.
Figures & Tables Figures must be supplied as separate files with the manuscript, while tables must be submitted as editable text. All figures and tables must be cited in the text, numbered consecutively in order of appearance, and provided with captions.
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Letters To The Editor

Cover Letter A letter of submission is required. The submission letter must explain in one paragraph the originality and significance of the submitted work.
Abstract A concise and factual abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript Letters to the Editor should be brief. The manuscript must be divided into clearly defined sections using headings. The manuscript must include 1 to 6 keywords in English and, if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration section before the references.
References References must be cited in the text by number within square brackets. References must be numbered in the order they appear in the article and entries may be in any consistent style at submission.
Figures & Tables Figures must be supplied as separate files and tables must be submitted as editable text. All figures and tables must be cited in the manuscript text, numbered consecutively, and provided with captions.
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Recent Publications

Corrigendum to “A pHe sensitive nanodrug for collaborative penetration and inhibition of metastatic tumors” [Journal of Controlled Release 352 (2022) 893–908].

Meirong Huo, Jiyuan Zhou, Honglan Wang, Yuzhao Zheng, Yuqing Tong, Jianping Zhou, Jiyong Liu, Tingjie Yin

10.1016/j.jconrel.2026.115060
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Elastin production by mRNA technology for rejuvenation of aged skin

Yingying Shi, Zeliang Lou, Yaqi Chen, Jian Xu, Zhixun Zhang, Zuyong Zhang, Yue Gao, Yi Wang, Jian You

10.1016/j.jconrel.2026.115033
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STING agonist-primed supramolecular oncolytic hydrogel vaccine for tuning tumors against themselves

Mingmei Guo, Shuyi Xie, Chenwei Jiang, Minglu Tang, Wen Zhang, Lin Xiong, Qi Shang, Xiaoran An, Feihu Wang

10.1016/j.jconrel.2026.115032
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Corrigendum to “Smart hypoxia-responsive sulfated polysaccharides liposomes for controlled and targeted urokinase delivery in thrombotic therapy” [Journal of Controlled Release Volume 392(10 April 2026) 114669/ COREL_114669]

Dingfu Wang, Dan Li, Xiaolin Liu, Shixin Wang, Yile Fan, Ling Lu, Chuanbin Shen, Chunxia Li

10.1016/j.jconrel.2026.114988
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From antibiotic impasse to cellular breakthrough: Advances in cell-based and cell-inspired strategies against bacterial infections

Yitao Zhang, Litong Wang, Jiapeng Mao, Yufeng Wu, Wenxin Foo, Zizhuo Wang, Jiachen Wu, Yichen Guo, Jian You, Lihua Luo

10.1016/j.jconrel.2026.115091
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Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to publish?

6 days submission to first decision; 30 days submission to decision after review; 103 days submission to acceptance; 3 days acceptance to online publication

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Is a cover letter required?

A letter of submission is required and must explain in one paragraph the originality and significance of the submitted work. Review article proposals must be uploaded with a separate Review Proposal file in addition to the cover letter.

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What are the publication costs?

Open access APC: USD 4220 excluding taxes. Subscription publication has no open access publication fee.

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Research Topics

RNA Interference and Gene Delivery Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Advanced Drug Delivery Systems Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques Human auditory perception and evaluation Advancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery Drug Solubulity and Delivery Systems Immunotherapy and Immune Responses Educational Robotics and Engineering Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications Virus-based gene therapy research Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications Extracellular vesicles in disease 3D Printing in Biomedical Research Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization Polymer Surface Interaction Studies Graphene and Nanomaterials Applications Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research Inhalation and Respiratory Drug Delivery biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Polymers Ultrasound and Hyperthermia Applications

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