title: Self-assembly drug conjugates for anticancer treatment.
abstract: Self-assembly drug conjugate preparation is a promising approach to improve activity and penetration through physiological barriers of potent small molecules, as well as to reduce any side effects. Drug conjugates can self-assemble in water to form nanoparticles (NPs) that offer several advantages because: (i) they are easy to obtain; (ii) they can reach high local drug concentration in tumor tissues; and (iii) they can reduce the side effects of drugs. All these factors improve drug pharmacokinetic properties. Here, we have reviewed the scope of nanotechnology-based self-assembly drug delivery approaches focusing on prodrugs able to form NPs by self-assembly; we have also summarized the current perspective and challenges facing the successful treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marucci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stella
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dosio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: daniele.passarella@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Passarella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011355:Prodrugs