Magic bullets

Jackson SP, Schoenwaelder SM (2003) Antiplatelet therapy in search of the magic bullet . Nat Rev Drag Discov 2 775-789... 

Roth BL, Sheffler DJ, Kroeze WK (2004) Magic shotguns versus magic bullets selectively non-selective drugs for mood disorders and schizophrenia. Nat Rev Drug Discov 3 353-359... 

The design of such cytotoxic antibodies is conceptually simple attach a toxic substance or a mediator of toxicity to the appropriate monoclonal and you have a magic bullet that can find and eliminate the one-in-a-billion cells that have the requisite marker (Figure 21.1). The antibody provides the recognition and binding capacity, while the associated toxic component effects cellular alterations leading to cell death (Pastan et al., 2006). 

Duthie GG, Gardner PT and Kyle JAM. 2003. Plant polyphenols are they the new magic bullet Rowett Research Institute. Proc Nutr Soc 62(3) 599-603. 

Morphy, R., Kay, C., and Rankovic, Z., From magic bullets to designed multiple ligands, Drug Discov. Today, 9, 641, 2004. 

EzzeU C. Magic bullets fly again. Scientific American October 34-41 (2001). 

Fig. 9.12. Partial negative-ion FAB spectrum of y-CD fullerene complexes in magic bullet matrix. Reproduced from Ref. [101] by permission. IM Publications, 1998.

Note The choice of the matrix is determined by the outer sphere of the analyte molecules, i.e., by y-CD in case of the above inclusion complexes. [60]Fullerene and its oxides yield poor spectra in magic bullet , but work well with less polar matrices such as NBA and NPOE. 

The ground-breaking development of monoclonal antibodies by Kohler and Milstein [21] initiated the development of antibody-mediated therapeutics for cancer. Because of their unique specificity, MAb were predicted to become the magic bullets in the battle against cancer. Over the last two and a half decades MAbs have moved from clone to clinic for the treatment of various malignancies. Several MAbs are currently entering clinical trials and should appear on the market in the next few years. The first MAb for cancer therapy was approved in the US in 1997. 

Liposomal drugs have been suggested to be the magic bullet of cancer therapy due to their ability to accumulate selectively in the tumour. The problem remains that not all cancers and patients respond in the same way. The drug actually delivered to the required site of action plays an important role in the response achieved, while the potential toxicity of the surface modified liposomes in the macrophage system have to be taken into account on chronic administration. 

---