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New Wave of Cancer Therapeutics: Challenges and Opportunities

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 2880

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
2. Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (GAIHST), Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
3. Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
Interests: Wnt signaling; cancer stem cell; metastasis; cancer niche; tumor microenvironment; immune microenvironment; targeted therapy; combination therapy; immunotherapy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Given the recent blockbuster success of the Herceptin-derived antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) Kadcyla and Enhertu, in cancer therapy, numerous biomedical groups are enthusiastically moving forward to develop the next cancer therapeutics that combine new techniques. For the past decade, new cancer-targeting technologies, such as antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), PROTACs, molecular glue, biphasic antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), have seen continuous development and explosive growth. Furthermore, accumulating knowledge based on cancer niches, metabolism, and combination therapy has continuously provided updates on the promising preclinical results in the cancer field.

I am convinced that this new wave of cutting-edge cancer therapeutics could provide a fourth or fifth generation of cancer treatments beyond the third-generation cancer treatments created by immunotherapy a decade ago.

Following the current revolutionary trends in cancer research, this Special Issue aims to compile the latest advances in basic and translational cancer research at the molecular level and therapeutic applications.

Experts in the field are invited and welcome to submit original research articles and reviews that cover a wide range of topics of recent cancer therapeutics, including promising molecular targets, advanced combination strategies, and new targeting strategies against cancer niches/metabolism. We also encourage submissions associated with the molecular mechanism underlying cancer progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Revisiting research on existing therapeutic targets in combination with recently developed technologies such as drug conjugates (ADCs), PROTACs, molecular glue, biphasic antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) is also welcomed.

Your contributions are eagerly awaited. We look forward to the insights and advancements you will bring to the field of cancer therapeutics.

Dr. Moon Jong Kim
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • new therapeutic targets in cancers
  • advanced combination therapy strategies
  • advanced strategies for targeting cancer metabolism
  • advanced strategies for targeting the tumor microenvironment
  • antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs)
  • biphasic antibody
  • PROTAC (proteolysis-targeting chimera)
  • molecular glue
  • anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASOs)

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

31 pages, 3451 KiB  
Review
Antibody–Drug Conjugates—Evolution and Perspectives
by Adriana Aurelia Chis, Carmen Maximiliana Dobrea, Anca Maria Arseniu, Adina Frum, Luca-Liviu Rus, Gabriela Cormos, Cecilia Georgescu, Claudiu Morgovan, Anca Butuca, Felicia Gabriela Gligor and Andreea Loredana Vonica-Tincu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 6969; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25136969 - 26 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2273
Abstract
Antineoplastic therapy is one of the main research themes of this century. Modern approaches have been implemented to target and heighten the effect of cytostatic drugs on tumors and diminish their general/unspecific toxicity. In this context, antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising and [...] Read more.
Antineoplastic therapy is one of the main research themes of this century. Modern approaches have been implemented to target and heighten the effect of cytostatic drugs on tumors and diminish their general/unspecific toxicity. In this context, antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising and successful strategy. The aim of this review was to assess different aspects regarding ADCs. They were presented from a chemical and a pharmacological perspective and aspects like structure, conjugation and development particularities alongside effects, clinical trials, safety issues and perspectives and challenges for future use of these drugs were discussed. Representative examples include but are not limited to the following main structural components of ADCs: monoclonal antibodies (trastuzumab, brentuximab), linkers (pH-sensitive, reduction-sensitive, peptide-based, phosphate-based, and others), and payloads (doxorubicin, emtansine, ravtansine, calicheamicin). Regarding pharmacotherapy success, the high effectiveness expectation associated with ADC treatment is supported by the large number of ongoing clinical trials. Major aspects such as development strategies are first discussed, advantages and disadvantages, safety and efficacy, offering a retrospective insight on the subject. The second part of the review is prospective, focusing on various plans to overcome the previously identified difficulties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Wave of Cancer Therapeutics: Challenges and Opportunities)
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