https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7442-2666
Abstract
Prodrug strategy is critical for innovative drug development. Structural modification is the most straightforward and effective method to develop prodrugs. Improving drug defects and optimizing the physical and chemical properties of a drug, such as lipophilicity and water solubility, changing the way of administration can be achieved through specific structural modification. Designing prodrugs by linking microenvironment-responsive groups to the prototype drugs is of great help in enhancing drug targeting. In the meantime, making connections between prodrugs and suitable drug delivery systems could realize drug loading increases, greater stability, bioavailability and drug release control. In this paper, lipidic, water-soluble, pH-responsive, redox-sensitive and enzyme-activatable prodrugs are reviewed on the basis of structural modification.
Author contributions
Y Cheng: design, writing the original draft, drawing the figures. C Zhong: investigation, acquiring data and writing: review and editing. S Yan: investigation and writing: review and editing. C Chen: design, editing and revising. X Gao: conceptualization, supervision and project administration.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
This work was sponsored by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (no. 82260696), Natural Sciences Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (no. 2022D01E054) and Major Science and Technology Projects of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (no. 2022A03007-4). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.