title: Advances in targeted therapeutic agents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of disease-associated protein targets has significantly increased over the past decade due to advances in molecular and cellular biology technologies, human genetic mapping efforts and information gathered from the human genome project. The identification of gene products that appear to be involved in supporting the underlying cause of disease has offered the biopharmaceutical industry an opportunity to develop compounds that can specifically target these molecules to improve therapeutic responses and lower the risk of unwanted side effects that are commonly seen in traditional small chemical-based medicines.
  
  
  METHODS
  An overview of targeted drug therapies is presented in this review. We include a review of the various classes of targeted therapeutic agents, the types of disease-associated molecules being targeted by these agents and the challenges currently being encountered for the successful development of these various platforms for the treatment of disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An understanding of the current targeted therapy landscape, the discovery and selection of disease-specific gene products that are being targeted, and an overview of targeted therapies in preclinical and clinical studies. A description of the various targeted therapeutic platforms, target selection criteria and examples of each are discussed in order to provide the reader with the current status of the field and emerging areas of targeted therapy discovery and development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Novel medications are in demand for the treatment of serious medical conditions including cancer, autoimmune, infectious and metabolic diseases. Targeted therapies offer a way to develop very specific treatments for serious medical conditions while concomitantly resulting in little to no off-target toxicity. Targeted therapies provide an opportunity to develop personalized medicines with superior treatment modalities for the patient and a better quality of life.
authors: Morphotek, Inc., 210 Welsh Pool Road, Exton, PA 19341, USA. Nicolaides@morphotek.com
authors: Nicholas C
authors: NC
authors: Nicolaides
authors: Philip M
authors: PM
authors: Sass
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Grasso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018033:Antibodies, Bispecific / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018033:Antibodies, Bispecific; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D000922:Immunotoxins; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D011994:Recombinant Proteins