Current prodrug strategies via membrane transporters/receptors

Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2002 Aug;2(6):607-20. doi: 10.1517/14712598.2.6.607.

Abstract

Prodrug design strategies have been employed to improve the delivery of drugs with undesirable pharmacokinetic properties such as chemical stability and lack of specificity. Targeted prodrug design represents a new strategy for site-directed and efficient drug delivery. Targeting of drugs to transporters and receptors to aid in site-specific carrier-mediated absorption is emerging as a novel and clinically significant approach. Various prodrugs have been successful in achieving the goals of enhanced bioavailability and are, therefore, considered to be an important tool in biopharmaceutics. This review highlights the advances in prodrug design targeted towards membrane transporters/receptors in the past few years.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / analogs & derivatives
  • Amino Acids / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Ascorbic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Biological Transport
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Models, Chemical
  • Prodrugs / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Prodrugs
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Acyclovir