1999•PubMedRequires access
Prodrugs for antibody- and gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapies (ADEPT and GDEPT).
Ion Niculescu‐Duvaz, Frank Friedlos, Dan Niculescu‐Duvaz, Lawrence Davies, Caroline J. Springer
Open publisher page 51 citations
Abstract
Antibody- and gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy are two-step targeting strategies designed to improve the selectivity of antitumour agents. The approaches are based on the activation of specially designed prodrugs by antibody-enzyme conjugates targeted to tumour-associated antigens (ADEPT) or by enzymes expressed by exogenous genes in tumour cells (GDEPT). Herein the design, synthesis, physico-chemical and biological properties, kinetics and clinical trials of the prodrugs and the enzymes carboxypeptidase G2 and nitroreductase are reviewed for ADEPT and GDEPT.