Drug targeting approaches

Keshet E, Ben-Sasson SA. Anticancer drug targets approaching angiogenesis. J. Clin. Invest. 1999 104 1497-1501. 

Gelatin NF-kappaB decoy oligonucleotide Drug targeting approach [67]... 

Little attempt has been made to develop drugs targeted specifically to white adipose tissue and the production of adipokines. It is likely, however, that there will be an increasing emphasis on this approach to the pharmacological treatment of obesity-related diseases, given the current views on the centrality of the adipokines to these disorders. It is, of course, the diseases that obesity leads to, rather than obesity itself, that constitute the main medical challenge. 

Polymeric microparticles have been studied and developed for several years. Their contribution in the pharmacy field is of utmost importance in order to improve the efficiency of oral delivery of drugs. As drug carriers, polymer-based microparticles may avoid the early degradation of active molecules in undesirable sites of the gastrointestinal tract, mask unpleasant taste of drugs, reduce doses and side effects and improve bioavailability. Also, they allow the production of site-specific drug targeting, which consists of a suitable approach for the delivery of active molecules into desired tissues or cells in order to increase their efficiency. 

Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Each has been successful enough to form the basis of startup companies trying to apply these algorithms to solve complex drug targets. The utility of these approaches will become evident in time. 

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