title: Antisense oligonucleotide pharmacokinetics and metabolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of oligonucleotides as therapeutic agents has elicited a great deal of interest. Basic understanding and evaluation of the pharmacokinetic properties of oligonucleotides is foundational to their appropriate design and application.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the primary pharmacokinetic properties that drive successful use and delivery of oligonucleotides.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary data set available in the published literature for summarizing the pharmacokinetic properties of oligonucleotides exists for single strand phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides and their chimeric chemical modifications (second generation). Where possible, data from other classes of compounds are contrasted with this base class.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there are several different classes of oligonucleotides being developed as therapeutic agents, their pharmacokinetic properties by class are primarily a function of their backbone chemistry and the resulting chemical relationship to biological stability and plasma protein binding properties.
authors.affiliation: Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 1896 Rutherford Rd, Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA. rgeary@isisph.com
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Geary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense