Aptamers as targeted therapeutics: current potential and challenges
#MMPMID27807347
Zhou J
; Rossi J
Nat Rev Drug Discov
2017[Mar]; 16
(3
): 181-202
PMID27807347
show ga
Nucleic acid aptamers, often termed 'chemical antibodies', are functionally
comparable to traditional antibodies, but offer several advantages, including
their relatively small physical size, flexible structure, quick chemical
production, versatile chemical modification, high stability and lack of
immunogenicity. In addition, many aptamers are internalized upon binding to
cellular receptors, making them useful targeted delivery agents for small
interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs and conventional drugs. However, several
crucial factors have delayed the clinical translation of therapeutic aptamers,
such as their inherent physicochemical characteristics and lack of safety data.
This Review discusses these challenges, highlighting recent clinical developments
and technological advances that have revived the impetus for this promising class
of therapeutics.
|Animals
[MESH]
|Aptamers, Nucleotide/*genetics/metabolism
[MESH]
|Drug Delivery Systems/methods/*trends
[MESH]
|Humans
[MESH]
|Nucleic Acids/*genetics/metabolism
[MESH]
|RNA, Small Interfering/genetics/metabolism
[MESH]
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