Molecular Eye: A System for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Clinical Diseases Based on Molecular Probe Technology

With the flourishing development of precision medicine, theranostics, generally recognized as the integration of diagnosis and treatment, has emerged as a prominent trend in clinical research. However, theranostics primarily emphasizes the end result of integration, without providing sufficient details on how precise diagnosis and synergetic individualized treatment could be achieved and what clinical challenges could be effectively addressed in clinical practice. Molecular probe technology provides a robust method to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Through meticulous design of the chemical structure, imaging labels or drugs were conjugated to tumor-targeting peptides, antibodies, or inducers to form molecular probes, which allow a seamless switch between targeted intervention and targeted imaging with consistency in time, space, and biodistribution. Thus, this review proposes a concept called “molecular eye”, which refers to a comprehensive system for precise diagnosis and treatment of major clinical diseases based on molecular probe technology. This medical system emphasizes the chemical basis of probe development and optimization, which can provide precise actionable information for clinical decision making, allow molecular-targeted therapy, expand the indications of old therapy, and accelerate the regulatory approval of molecular drugs. “Molecular eye” resembles the piercing eye of the Monkey King, which can detect previously “invisible” diseases and facilitate disease diagnosis, treatment, real-time evaluation, and pathology research, guiding drug development. The emergence of the “molecular eyes” will provide opportunities and challenges in the fields of clinical practice and medical research and propel the progression of contemporary medicine toward precision medicine.