The present invention pertains to a bone marrow-directing drug delivery material that includes at least one fine particle, wherein the fine particle includes an anionic moiety on a surface of the particle. Also disclosed are uses of the material set forth herein for the prevention, treatment, or diagnosis of a disease of bone, cartilage, bone marrow, or a joint. Also disclosed are methods of preventing, treating, or diagnosing a disease of bone, cartilage, bone marrow, or a joint in a subject, involving administering to the subject a pharmaceutically effective amount of the material of the present invention.