PHARMACEUTICAL OLIGOSACCHARIDES

Oligosaccharides, complex carbohydrates that comprise 2-30 monosacchar ides linked by glycosidic bonds, are being developed as therapeutic ag ents for a variety of indications. The large-scale production of oligo saccharides achieved by enzymatic synthesis has encouraged the preclin ical and clinical evaluation of these carbohydrates for efficacy in in fectious and inflammatory diseases, transplantation, and other conditi ons. Many of the promising oligosaccharide drugs in development interf ere with adhesion events between different cell types, and between ant ibodies and cells. In addition, complex carbohydrate-based agents are being developed for use in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, as c ancer vaccines, and in drug delivery. Also, diverse efforts to constru ct combinatorial libraries of complex carbohydrates are opening the do or to broader screening approaches.