**4. Conclusions**

This review focuses on the research on sc-PLA with biodegradability and superior mechanical and thermal properties. sc-PLA can be used to produce therapeutic carriers in various forms, as it can be processed by micelles, self-assembly, emulsion, and 3D printing. In particular, 3D printing technology has commonly used PLA as filament material; however, sc-PLA has not been used in industrial practice to date. Because of these application fields and the extensive potential of 3D printing, inkjet printing using sc-PLA with improved characteristics must be a versatile technology for simultaneously inducing both stereocomplexation and fabrication in the future, if inkjet printing can be suitably converged with 3D printing techniques. In biomedical applications, sc-PLA nanoparticles are potentially promising carriers for anti-cancer therapy and scaffolds for tissue engineering, as numerous studies have demonstrated that they could be improved by diverse methods, including surface modification and co-polymerization, and attain additional functions, such as anti-microbial effects and immune stealth. sc-PLA nanoparticles effectively encapsulate therapeutic anti-tumor agents, such as DOX, and specifically transfer the agents to target lesions. This review suggests the fields for potential sc-PLA material applications by presenting current research trends. sc-PLA, as an advanced material from commonly used PLA, is expected to become a next-generation polymeric material owing to its excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical and thermal properties.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, investigation, original draft preparation and writing, visualization, S.H.I.; resources, investigation, methodology, data curation, original draft preparation and writing, D.H.I.; resources, visualization, S.J.P.; review and editing, supervision, J.J.C.; review and editing, supervision, Y.J.; review and editing, supervision, project administration, funding acquisition, S.H.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This research was funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea (project number 20008686) and by the KIST Institutional Program, and the KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology Program.

**Institutional Review Board Statement:** Not applicable.

**Informed Consent Statement:** Not applicable.

**Data Availability Statement:** Not applicable.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
