Target Recognition Molecules and Molecular Modeling Studies

Targeted delivery systems aim to deliver drugs to their intended site of action and as such they are expected to show more desired effects and less unwanted effects. The system itself is composed of a vesicle-encapsulated drug with "target recognition molecules" on the envelop. Ideally, these target recognition molecules, being either small non-peptidic molecules or peptides, are basically high-affinity ligands for a receptor or other protein that is expressed specifically and at high concentrations on the target cells. This review will focus on several widely used examples of target recognition molecules and on how molecular modelling studies have been used in the development of nano drug carrier systems in general.