Novel Molecularly Targeted Cancer Therapeutics

Submission Deadline: 01 July 2027 View: 69 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editor(s)

Dr. Bulent Ozpolat MD Ph D

Email: bozpolat@ou.edu

Affiliation: Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

Homepage:

Research Interests: targeted therapeutics, cancer biology & genetics, immunology, nanomedicine

Summary

Over the past decade, cancer drug development has increasingly focused on identifying and targeting the molecular mechanisms that drive tumor initiation, progression, and resistance. This paradigm shift has resulted in major advances in precision oncology, leading to the development of innovative therapeutic agents and the expansion of clinical trials for patients with advanced malignancies. Targeted cancer therapies are designed to interfere with specific genes, proteins, or signaling pathways that are critical for cancer cell survival and growth, thereby disrupting key oncogenic processes. Among these approaches, small molecule kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies have become important therapeutic tools for targeting signaling pathways, while immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed cancer treatment by harnessing the immune system to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. Small-molecule inhibitors acting primarily on intracellular kinases and other regulatory proteins involved in cellular signaling networks. To date, more than a hundred molecularly targeted anticancer drugs have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), demonstrating their significant clinical impact in treating primary, metastatic, and therapy-resistant cancers. In addition to conventional targeted therapies, numerous emerging strategies are being explored, including interventions directed at protein–protein interactions, cancer metabolism, and immune regulation. RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics have also shown considerable promise, as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) can selectively suppress the expression of disease-associated genes. Several RNA-based therapies have advanced into clinical development, and multiple siRNA therapeutics have recently gained FDA approval. Nanotechnology has further enhanced the field by improving drug delivery, increasing therapeutic efficacy, and reducing treatment-related toxicity. We are pleased to invite submissions to this Special Issue, which aims to showcase recent progress and emerging innovations in the field. The issue will provide comprehensive insights into antibody-based therapeutics, including antibody drug conjugates, small-molecule inhibitors, RNAi-based strategies, nanotherapeutics, and cell-based therapies, covering fundamental principles, technological challenges, preclinical and clinical developments, and future directions.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing a broad range of topics, including targeted cancer therapies, kinase inhibitors, antibody-based therapeutics, non-coding RNA therapies (miRNA and siRNA), nanomedicine, and other innovative approaches that advance precision oncology.

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