Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
To be targeted: is the magic bullet concept a viable option for synthetic nucleic acid therapeutics?
1Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich 81377, Germany. manfred.ogris@cup.uni-muenchen.de
Abstract:
Nucleic acids offer the possibility of tailor-made, individualized treatments for genetic disorders, infectious diseases, and cancer. As an alternative to viral vectors, synthetic delivery systems have a potentially improved safety profile, but often lack sufficient efficiency especially when applied in vivo. Receptor targeting of synthetic vectors can improve the specificity of the vector and increase the efficiency of nucleic acid delivery to the target site. This review covers recent concepts for targeted DNA and RNA delivery to organs like liver and lung, and also to solid cancers. Syntheses and applications of delivery systems targeted with proteins, peptides, and small molecules as ligands coupled to polymeric or lipidic nucleic acid carriers are reviewed. Therapeutic concepts for treatment of genetic and infectious diseases are explained. Systemic treatment regimens of metastasized malignancies in combination with chemotherapy and radiation have already been successfully applied in preclinical studies. In addition, a first clinical study in the human application of a targeted synthetic carrier has been performed.
More Related Videos
08:14Combined Genetic and Chemical Capsid Modifications of Adenovirus-Based Gene Transfer Vectors for Shielding and Targeting
Published on: October 26, 2018
09:04Sequence-specific and Selective Recognition of Double-stranded RNAs over Single-stranded RNAs by Chemically Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids
Published on: September 21, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted
Synthetic Biology
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...
Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers
Targets for Drug Action: Overview
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics