Stimuli-Responsive Metal Complexes for Biomedical Applications

Metal-based compounds have been widely used for biomedical applications. Their unique characteristics make them attractive for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. However, numerous issues including toxicity, poor aqueous solubility, and unfavorable biodistribution hamper their widespread use. To overcome these drawbacks, the concept of metal-based prodrugs emerged. This field is particularly developed for applications in oncology. More precisely, tumor-associated stimuli (e.g., pH variation, redox activity, enzyme overexpression, etc.) have been exploited to trigger the selective delivery of active metal-based drugs to the tumor site. The main advances in this area are discussed in this Review.