Hybrid Compounds as Multitarget Directed Anticancer Agents

Abstract

Cancer is a multifactorial disease including interactions of complex genetic and environmental factors. Clinical efficacy of anticancer chemotherapies is hampered by various factors including multidrug resistance (MDR). There is a strong need to discover more potent novel cancer drugs to kill cancer cells selectively. The recent new strategy for cancer treatment involves the design and synthesis of hybrid compounds as multitargeted anticancer agents. In this review, we focus on studies using hybrid compounds which were designed and synthesized from two or more different bioactive moieties conjugating them into a single hybrid drug. Hybrid compounds having more than a single target have been considered as more efficient and potent anticancer agents, since it is almost impossible to destroy cancer cells with a single target. Hybrid compounds overcome many disadvantages of single cancer drugs such as low solubility, adverse effects, and multi drug resistance. We have compiled the data of recent studies using the new hybrid anticancer drugs in cancer treatment. Thus, the design, synthesis and clinical trials of new hybrid compounds should be continued and supported in future. Results of recent studies have proved that they have a great potential to be used as novel anticancer drugs.

Keywords: Anticancer Agents; Cancer; Drug Design; Hybrid Compounds; Multitarget Compounds; Natural Products.