New Wave of Cancer Therapeutics: Challenges and Opportunities

Dear Colleagues,

Given the recent blockbuster success of the Herceptin-derived antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) Kadcyla and Enhertu, in cancer therapy, numerous biomedical groups are enthusiastically moving forward to develop the next cancer therapeutics that combine new techniques. For the past decade, new cancer-targeting technologies, such as antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), PROTACs, molecular glue, biphasic antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), have seen continuous development and explosive growth. Furthermore, accumulating knowledge based on cancer niches, metabolism, and combination therapy has continuously provided updates on the promising preclinical results in the cancer field.

I am convinced that this new wave of cutting-edge cancer therapeutics could provide a fourth or fifth generation of cancer treatments beyond the third-generation cancer treatments created by immunotherapy a decade ago.

Following the current revolutionary trends in cancer research, this Special Issue aims to compile the latest advances in basic and translational cancer research at the molecular level and therapeutic applications.

Experts in the field are invited and welcome to submit original research articles and reviews that cover a wide range of topics of recent cancer therapeutics, including promising molecular targets, advanced combination strategies, and new targeting strategies against cancer niches/metabolism. We also encourage submissions associated with the molecular mechanism underlying cancer progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Revisiting research on existing therapeutic targets in combination with recently developed technologies such as drug conjugates (ADCs), PROTACs, molecular glue, biphasic antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) is also welcomed.

Your contributions are eagerly awaited. We look forward to the insights and advancements you will bring to the field of cancer therapeutics.

Dr. Moon Jong Kim
Guest Editor

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• new therapeutic targets in cancers
• advanced combination therapy strategies
• advanced strategies for targeting cancer metabolism
• advanced strategies for targeting the tumor microenvironment
• antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs)
• biphasic antibody
• PROTAC (proteolysis-targeting chimera)
• molecular glue
• anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASOs)