Unveiling the Potential of Transition Metal Complexes for Medicine: Translational in Situ Activation of Metal-Based Drugs from Bench to in Vivo Applications

Abstract

The development of metal-based anticancer drugs has been hampered, among other reasons, by their lack of selectivity for cancer cells. In a recent article, Zou and co-workers presented the successful intracellular activation of organogold(I) complexes for potential cancer treatment through Pd(II)-mediated transmetallation, overcoming some off-target activity of novel gold-based drugs. This unique strategy builds the perfect bridge between metallodrug usage and bioorthogonal intracellular catalysis for more advanced and selective therapies. Such an approach will hopefully pave the way for forthcoming studies in medicinal inorganic chemistry.

Keywords: anticancer drugs; gold; intracellular catalysis; palladium; transmetallation.