Toward third-generation aptamers: Spiegelmers and their therapeutic prospects

Single-stranded mirror-image oligonucleotides, which are highly resistant to nuclease degradation and are capable of tightly and specifically binding to protein targets to inhibit their function, have been developed as potential therapeutic agents. The scientific discoveries that led to the development of the Spiegelmer technology are described in this review, along with recent preclinical developments of the first therapeutic Spiegelmers.