title: Polymer conjugates as therapeutics: future trends, challenges and opportunities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical proof of concept for polymer conjugates has already been achieved over the last 30 years, with a family of polymer-protein conjugates reaching the market and an exponentially growing list of polymer-drug conjugates currently in clinical trials. However, many challenges and opportunities still lie ahead, providing scope to develop this platform technology further.
  
  
  METHODS
  The delivery of new anticancer agents aimed at novel molecular targets and their combination, the development of both new polymeric materials with defined architectures and the treatment of diseases other than cancer are the most exciting and promising areas. The latest advances and future trends in the polymer conjugate field will be presented in this article, providing an insight into their potential in the clinics and offering a wide range of research approaches within the scientific community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polymer therapeutics is a rapidly emerging field with exponentially growing opportunities to achieve medical treatments with highly enhanced therapeutic value.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Polymer Therapeutics Laboratory, Avenue Autopista del Saler 16, E-46012 Valencia, Spain. mjvicent@cipf.es
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vicent
authors.forename: Lucile
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dieudonné
authors.forename: Rodrigo J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Carbajo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pineda-Lucena
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers