A Minireview: Usefulness of Transporter-Targeted Prodrugs in Enhancing Membrane Permeability

Orally administered drugs are categorized into 4 classes depending on the solubility and permeability in a Biopharmaceutics Classification System. Prodrug derivatization is one of feasible approaches in modifying the physicochemical properties such as low solubility and low permeability without changing the in vivo pharmacological action of the parent drug. In this article, prodrug-targeted solute carrier (SLC) transporters were searched randomly by PubMed. Collected SLC transporters are amino acid transporter 1, bile acid transporter, carnitine transporter 2, glucose transporter 1, peptide transporter 1, vitamin C transporter 1, and multivitamin transporter. The usefulness of transporter-targeted prodrugs was evaluated in terms of membrane permeability, stability under acidic condition, and conversion to the parent drug. Among prodrugs collected, peptide transporter-targeted prodrugs exhibited the highest number, and some prodrugs such as valaciclovir and valganciclovir are clinically available. ATP-binding cassette efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), reduces the intestinal absorption of lipophilic P-gp substrate drugs, and SLC transporter-targeted prodrugs of P-gp substrate drugs circumvented the P-gp-mediated efflux transport. Thus, SLC transporter-targeted prodrug derivatization seems to be feasible approach to increase the oral bioavailability by overcoming various unwanted physicochemical properties of orally administered drugs, although the effect of food on prodrug absorption should be taken into consideration.