title: Advances in the development of hybrid anticancer drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hybrid anticancer drugs are of great therapeutic interests as they can potentially overcome most of the pharmacokinetic drawbacks encountered when using conventional anticancer drugs. In fact, the future of hybrid anticancer drugs is very bright for the discovery of highly potent and selective molecules that triggers two or more cytocidal pharmacological mechanisms of action acting in synergy to inhibit cancer tumor growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review represents the most advanced and recent data in the field of hybrid anticancer agents covering mainly the past 5 years of research. It also accounts for other significant reviews already published on the topic of anticancer hybrids. The review showcases the research that is at the leading edge of hybrid anticancer drug discovery. The main areas covered by the present review are: DNA alkylating agent hybrids (e.g., platinum(II), nitrogen mustard, etc.), vitamin-D receptor, agonist-histone deacetylase inhibitors, combi-molecule therapies and other types of hybrid anticancer agents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current development in the field describes strategies that have never been used before for the design of hybrid anticancer drugs. The information currently available and described in this section allows us to identify the main parameters required to design such molecules. It also provides a clear view of the future directions that must be explored for the successful development and discovery of useful hybrid anticancer drugs.
authors: Département de Chimie et Physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7, Canada.
authors: Sébastien
authors: S
authors: Fortin
authors: Gervais
authors: G
authors: Bérubé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents