Recent Advancement in Drug Designing as Small Molecules in Targeted Cancer Therapy: Challenges and Future Directions

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Metastasis is a primary driver of anti-cancer therapy failure and cancer mortality.
• Conventional chemotherapy can select for chemo-resistant cells, promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and distant colonization.
• Targeted therapies offer a more precise and potentially safer alternative to conventional chemotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current landscape of small molecule inhibitors targeting metastasis.
• To assess small molecule-focused anti-cancer therapy development by target classification.
• To identify challenges and suggest improvements for anti-cancer drug research and development.

Main Methods:

• Extensive assessment of small molecule inhibitors by target classification.
• Review of licensed drugs and key drug candidates in clinical trials.
• Analysis of current challenges in targeted anti-cancer drug development.

Main Results:

• Targeted medications show promise in concentrating on cancer cells while sparing normal cells.
• Despite advancements, challenges like inadequate response rates and drug resistance persist for small-molecule targeted therapies.
• A comprehensive overview of licensed drugs and clinical candidates for various metastatic targets is provided.

Conclusions:

• Small molecule inhibitors represent a crucial area for developing effective anti-metastatic medications.
• Further research and development are needed to overcome existing obstacles and enhance the efficacy of targeted anti-cancer therapies.
• This review provides insights into present and future small molecule inhibitor research for cancer treatment.