Construction of Peptide-Drug Conjugates for Selective Targeting of Malignant Tumor Cells

Abstract

Cancer constitutes a major threat to humanity, while its incidence and mortality rates are increasing rapidly worldwide. To tackle cancer, numerous strategies have been exploited, including the development of peptide–drug conjugates (PDCs), which are considered an appealing approach to selectively populate malignant tumors with toxic substances. The general architecture of a PDC usually includes three parts: the tumor-targeting peptide, the cytotoxic drug, and the biodegradable linker. Due to the fact that peptides possess fast renal clearance, affecting the bioavailability of the PDC, a nanodrug formation concept can be exploited to ameliorate this pitfall. Herein, we present methodologies to develop PDCs, along with certain basic principles governing such constructs. In addition, we highlight possible problems that may appear during the synthesis of PDCs, as also solutions to overcome them.