Recent advances in discrete Cu complexes for enhanced chemodynamic therapy

Since the concept of metal ion stimulation-mediated chemodynamic therapy was proposed by Bu and Shi's group in 2016, increasing attention has been directed toward the fabrication of efficient, safe and stable Fenton/Fenton-like catalysts to advance clinical translation. In particular, metal-based complexes with inherent metal catalytic centers have received extensive attention as potential alternatives/complements for traditional CDT agents. Among them, copper-based complexes, which possess excellent redox properties, extensive adaptability and abundant availability, enable the efficient generation of ROS through Fenton-like reactions in CDT, thereby causing oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA in cancer cells. In this brief review, we summarize the recent progress on various discrete copper-based metal complexes aimed at enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of CDT as well as their application in combination therapy. We hope that this review will attract active attention toward metal complexes in advancing more accurate and efficient chemodynamic therapy and encourage further in-depth research to facilitate clinical translation.