Recent Advances in Cancer Treatment and Drug Delivery with a Focus on Coinage Metals (Copper, Silver and Gold)
A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Targeting and Design".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 119
Special Issue Editor
Interests: anticancer drugs; drug delivery; metallodrugs; anti-cancer coordination compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce this Special Issue of Pharmaceutics, entitled "Recent Advances in Cancer Treatment and Drug Delivery with a Focus on Coinage Metals (Copper, Silver and Gold)". This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest developments in cancer therapeutics, particularly focusing on the innovative applications of coinage metals (Cu, Ag, and Au) in drug formulations and delivery systems.
The quest for innovative and effective anticancer agents has brought metallodrugs to the forefront of modern oncology. Among these, coinage metals—copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au)—stand out due to their unique physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and diverse biological activities. Historically prized for their economic value, these metals have transitioned into the biomedical domain, offering new possibilities in medicinal chemistry.
The development of metal-based drug formulations has shown remarkable progress. For example, copper-based complexes have been designed to target cancer cells with high specificity, while gold and silver nanoparticles have been explored for their ability to deliver therapeutic agents with minimal toxicity. Recent studies have also demonstrated the potential of metal complexes to overcome drug resistance by targeting multiple cellular pathways simultaneously.
Nanotechnology has revolutionized the field of cancer treatment by enabling the design of advanced drug delivery systems. Copper, silver, and gold nanoparticles can be functionalized to target cancer cells, enhance drug accumulation, and enable controlled release at the tumor site. For instance, chitosan-coated copper/silver nanoparticles have been shown to improve the stability and targeting efficiency of drug delivery systems while reducing toxicity to normal cells. Additionally, gold nanoparticles have been used to encapsulate chemotherapeutic agents like cisplatin, enhancing their efficacy and reducing side effects.
They exhibit remarkable versatility, enabling the design of complexes, nanoparticles, and functionalized systems that can target cancer cells, paving the way for new advancements in cancer treatment.
This Special Issue welcomes the submission of original research articles, communications, and review articles dedicated to novel biologically active Cu-, Ag-, and Au-based metallodrugs for cancer treatment. Submissions may focus on various aspects, such as synthesis, structural and functional characterization, biological evaluation, the mechanism(s) of action, interaction with cellular and molecular targets, drug delivery systems, and strategies to overcome drug resistance. Studies exploring theranostic applications, computational modeling, and translational approaches with clinical relevance are also highly encouraged, aiming to advance the development and understanding of these metallodrugs in cancer therapy. Additionally, we encourage submissions that focus on innovative drug formulations and delivery systems utilizing coinage metals. Recent advancements in metal-based drug delivery systems have shown significant potential in improving the efficacy and safety of cancer therapies.
If sufficient papers (≥10) are published in the planned Special Issue, a compiled version will be released as an edited book.
Dr. Leonor Côrte-Real
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- cancer
- copper
- silver
- gold
- drug delivery systems
- drug release
- cancer therapy
- chemotherapy
- coinage metals
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