Following cisplatin's success in the treatment of cancer, numerous other platinum-based complexes have been investigated as potential anticancer drugs, and some of these have received regulatory approval for the purpose of treating cancer. Despite the fact that platinum-based metallodrugs are effective against many different forms of cancer, their widespread usage in treatment is constrained by a number of factors (chemoresistance, poor selectivity, inherent toxicities, etc.). In order to address the unresolved clinical issues with platinum-based metallodrugs, current research is focused on the design and synthesis of metallodrugs with improved biological activity and selectivity, reduced toxicity and alternative mechanisms of action from those of platinum-based compounds. There are a number of approaches that have been tried to increase the effectiveness and lessen the negative effects of metallodrugs, such as the use of various transition metal-based complexes employing bioactive ligands that give them new modes of action, improve delivery, permit selective activation, produce synergistic effects, or improve tumour accumulation. Metal complexes of ruthenium, gold, copper, iridium, and osmium have been tested against a variety of cancer cell lines and are regarded as promising candidates for alternative therapeutics to Platinum-based drugs which have sparked considerable interest in the development of new anticancer drugs.

The scientific community is currently facing a significant problem in the development of potent anticancer therapeutics with high selectivity and minimal toxicity. Due to the distinctive properties of metals, including their redox activity, various coordination modes, and reactivity towards biomolecules, metal complexes have gained a lot of attention for their therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. These characteristics have evolved into a desirable probe in the development of metal complexes that attach to the biomolecular target with specificity, thereby altering the cellular mechanism of proliferation. The goal of this Research Topic is to give readers a broad overview of recently produced metallodrugs used in cancer treatment, with a focus on their past, current, and potential future applications.

This Research Topic aims to provide insight in developing novel metallodrugs that are more effective, have less adverse effects, and exhibit less chemoresistance.

We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:

• Synthesis, Characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies of novel metallodrugs.
• Rational design of metallodrugs for a selective interaction with a target biomolecules.
• Pharmacokinetic studies, mechanism of action, computational modelling, and theoretical approach to novel metallodrugs
• Structure-activity relationship of novel metallodrugs
• Design and synthesis of novel metallodrugs for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT).
• Metallodrugs against chemo or radioresistance of the cancer cells
• New strategies to improve the therapeutic potential of currently available, clinically utilized metallodrugs

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Frontiers in Chemistry

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