Front Cover: Overcoming STING Agonists Barriers: Peptide, Protein, and Biomembrane‐based Biocompatible Delivery Strategies (Chem. Asian J. 6/2022)

Abstract

By virtue of being a central mediator of type I interferon (IFN), the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway has emerged as an exciting target for antiviral and antitumor immunity. Along with the development of the STING pathway, more and more agonists have been adopted by Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck and so on for the treatment of advanced or metastatic tumors in clinical trials. Up to now, the number of STING agonists-based clinical trials has reached 15 and is growing. However, STING agonists cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) displayed almost zero efficacy in clinical trials, likely due to poor cellular permeability and rapid diffusion despite intratumoral injection. This triggered urgent demands for highly effective delivery strategies to improve the cellular permeability, tissue targetability and retention of STING agonists. Here, the recent progress of STING agonist applications against viruses and tumors is summarized, and delivery strategies with a focus on biocompatible platforms are highlighted. More information can be found in the Review by Yong-Fang Zheng and Jun-Jun Wu.