Nucleic acid drug and delivery techniques for disease therapy: Present situation and future prospect

Abstract Over the two decades, RNA drugs have gradually made their way from bench to bed. Initially, RNA was not an ideal drug since RNA molecules degrade easily and have a relatively short half‐life in the circulation system. Nevertheless, the chemical modification extended the half‐life of RNA in recent years, which makes RNA drugs a new star in drug discovery industry. RNA molecules hold many properties that facilitate their application as therapeutic drugs. RNAs could fold to form complex conformations to bind to proteins, small molecules, or other nucleic acids, and some even form catalytic centers. Protein‐encoding RNAs are the carriers of genetic information from DNA to ribosomes, and various types of non‐coding RNAs cooperate in the transcription and translation of genetic information through various mechanisms. To date, three mainstream RNA therapies have drawn widespread attention: (1) messenger RNA that encodes therapeutic proteins or vaccine antigens; (2) small interfering RNA, microRNA (miRNA), antisense oligonucleotides that inhibit the activity of pathogenic RNAs; and (3) aptamers that regulate protein activity. Here, we summarized the current research and perspectives of RNA therapies, which may provide innovative highlights for cancer therapy.