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REVIEW article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1434137
This article is part of the Research Topic Innovative Approaches to Overcome Resistance and Toxicities of Anti-Cancer Drugs View all 15 articles

Strategies for the Development of Stimuli-Responsive Small Molecule Prodrugs for Cancer Treatment

Provisionally accepted
Hongfei Jiang Hongfei Jiang 1*Yuxuan Tu Yuxuan Tu 1Jianbao Gong Jianbao Gong 2Jing Mou Jing Mou 1Haibo Zhao Haibo Zhao 1Jiake Gao Jiake Gao 1
  • 1 Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
  • 2 Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Approved anticancer drugs typically face challenges due to their narrow therapeutic window, primarily because of high systemic toxicity and limited selectivity for tumors. Prodrugs are initially inactive drug molecules designed to undergo specific chemical modifications. These modifications render the drugs inactive until they encounter specific conditions or biomarkers in vivo, at which point they are converted into active drug molecules. This thoughtful design significantly improves the efficacy of anticancer drug delivery by enhancing tumor specificity and minimizing off-target effects. Recent advancements in prodrug design have focused on integrating these strategies with delivery systems like liposomes, micelles, and polymerosomes to further improve targeting and reduce side effects. This review outlines strategies for designing stimuli-responsive small molecule prodrugs focused on cancer treatment, emphasizing their chemical structures and the mechanisms controlling drug release. By providing a comprehensive overview, we aim to highlight the potential of these innovative approaches to revolutionize cancer therapy.

    Keywords: prodrug, Anti-tumor drug, cancer treatment, drug activation, Stimuli-responsive, Tumor micro-environment

    Received: 17 May 2024; Accepted: 22 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Jiang, Tu, Gong, Mou, Zhao and Gao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Hongfei Jiang, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.