The Potential and Current Progress of Internalizing Molecules in Targeted Drug Delivery - Intracellular Delivery: Fundamentals and Applications - page 97

The Potential and Current Progress
of Internalizing Molecules in Targeted
Drug Delivery

Jiehua Zhou and John J. Rossi

Abstract Safe and efficient drug delivery in the treatment of cancer and infectious
diseases constitute a major challenge. Development of targeted intracellular delivery
approaches to specific cell populations or tissues for different therapeutics is highly
desirable to maximize potency and minimize toxicity. Extensive efforts to improve
drug safety and effectiveness have resulted in numerous target-specific delivery
strategies. Currently, various internalizing molecules, including antibodies, proteins,
peptides, folate, carbohydrates, aptamers and other ligands, have been successfully
adopted as active recognition moieties to target a distinct disease or tissue in a
cell-type-specific manner. The use of direct covalent conjugation or non-covalent
assembly of targeting ligands with the drug or delivery vehicle can be used to get
drugs to their intended targets, thereby reducing the dosing requirements as well as
minimizing unwanted toxicities. In this article we focus mainly on the potential and
current progress of internalizing molecules in targeted drug delivery.

Keywords Cell-type specific delivery • Internalizing molecules • Targeted drug
delivery • Targeted therapy

Abbreviations

AML acute myeloid leukemia

Antp antennapedia

Apo A-I apolipoprotein A-I

J. Zhou
Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope,
City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Rd, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]
J.J. Rossi ( * )
Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Beckman Research Institute
of City of Hope, City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Rd, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
e-mail: [e-mail]