Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities with advanced delivery systems.
Journal:
Trends in pharmacological sciences
Published Date:
Feb 25, 2026
Abstract
Metabolism modulation has emerged as a promising frontier in precision oncology. Nonetheless, the primary gap is the inability to precisely target the unique metabolic vulnerabilities of different cell types in vivo, which has limited clinical translation. Recent strategies that integrate tumor metabolism with advanced delivery systems are now enabling targeted metabolic intervention. In light of these developments, we evaluate current progress and highlight a path forward for metabolism-modulating drug delivery systems (MDDSs) in precision oncology. We also dissect key translational barriers-including metabolic heterogeneity, biological barriers, and off target effects-and discuss challenges in preclinical validation and clinical translation. Moreover, we propose emerging solutions-including metabolic circuit mapping, artificial intelligence-driven carrier design, and integrated MDDS platforms-to further advance the development of precision metabolism-based therapeutics.
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