Vascular targeting: recent advances and therapeutic perspectives

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Site-specific in vivo therapeutic delivery is crucial for treating major diseases.
• Vascular targeting offers a promising approach due to the endothelium's accessibility and role in disease.
• Identifying specific molecular targets on vascular cells is key for selective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review ligand-directed vascular targeting strategies.
• To highlight recent advancements in phage display for target identification.
• To discuss the application of vascular targeting in disease treatment.

Main Methods:

• In vivo phage display for identifying vascular targets.
• Development of fused molecules combining targeting ligands with therapeutic agents.
• Exploration of gene therapy approaches for vascular targeting.

Main Results:

• Phage display has successfully identified vascular targets in preclinical models.
• Fused molecules have shown efficacy in delivering immunomodulatory, procoagulant, or cytotoxic agents.
• Ligand-directed and transcriptional targeting strategies for gene therapy are emerging.

Conclusions:

• Ligand-directed vascular targeting, particularly using phage display, offers a powerful strategy for disease treatment.
• Targeting the vascular endothelium enables precise delivery of therapeutics and gene therapies.
• Further development holds significant promise for malignant, inflammatory, cardiovascular, and degenerative diseases.