Delivery of STING agonists for cancer immunotherapy

Agonists of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)-Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) pathway, a critical mediator of innate immune response to foreign invaders with DNA, have gained significant interest in cancer immunotherapy. STING agonists are envisioned as a way of complementing the antitumor activity of the patient’s immune system and immune checkpoint blockade therapy. However, their clinical development has been challenging due to the poor pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties. This review discusses drug delivery efforts to circumvent the challenges, their accomplishment, and unmet needs based on the last five years of literature.