Ateneo - UPO

Antitumor Immunopharmacology: This course offers an in-depth description of pharmacological agents, focusing on their pharmacokinetic profiles, mechanisms of action, therapeutic applications, and toxicity. Students will explore specific classes of drugs used in oncology. For each pharmacological class, the rationale for selecting one drug over others for a particular indication will be discussed, based on individual patient characteristics, side effects, relative and absolute contraindications, issues related to drug-drug interactions, and patient compliance. Through lectures and discussions with instructors, students will improve their ability to evaluate pharmacological data and apply this knowledge in real-life clinical settings. Antitumor Chemotherapeutic Drugs: The same antitumor drugs, along with some antiviral agents, will also be studied from a pharmaceutical-chemical perspective (chemical structure, structure–activity relationship, physicochemical properties, target interactions, and metabolism). Delivery and Targeting of Antitumor Drugs: Microcapsules and microspheres: structure, classification, and pharmaceutical applications. Mechanisms of passive, active, and physical targeting. First-, second-, and third-generation multi-particulate carriers. Preparation technologies for microcapsules, microspheres, and nanoparticulate systems. Nanoparticles and nanostructured systems for drug targeting, imaging, and cancer therapy. Solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, and liposomes. Dendrimers, polymersomes, SPIOs, gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, ceramic and carbon nanoparticles.

G. Costantino, G. Sbardella, Chimica Farmaceutica, EdiSES A. Gasco, F. Gualtieri, C. Melchiorre Chimica Farmaceutica Casa Editrice Ambrosiana; W. Foye, Principi di Chimica Farmaceutica, Piccin; E. Stevens, Medicinal Chemistry: The Modern Drug Discovery Process, Pearson. Paolo Caliceti, Tecnologia farmaceutica, 2025, CEA Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Aulton ME, Taylor K.M.G. Tecnologie farmaceutiche, 2015 EDRA LSWR. Ansel, HC et al. Principi di calcolo farmaceutico. Quindicesima edizione. 2017 Ed. Edra. Farmacopea Ufficiale Italiana edizione vigente. Farmacopea Europea edizione vigente. Lachman L, Lieberman H, Kanig J. The theory and practice of industrial pharmacy. Ed. Lea & Febiger, USA. Fabris L, Rigamonti S. La fabbricazione industriale dei medicinali. Ed. Esculapio, Bologna. S. Govoni, SM Spampinato, P Navarra - Farmacologia, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Distribuzione esclusiva Zanichelli, Seconda edizione F. Rossi, V. Cuomo, C. Riccardi – Farmacologia, Edizioni Minerva Medica, Ultima edizione H.P. Rang, M.M. Dale, J.M. Ritter, Farmacologia, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, ultima edizione

Antitumor Immunopharmacology: To provide the foundational knowledge and skills for understanding cancer therapies, particularly immunotherapies and their rational development; To provide an overview of the main classes of available drugs; To offer solid training for evaluating new drugs that may emerge during the students' future professional careers. Antitumor Chemotherapeutic Drugs: The course aims to illustrate to students the main drugs used as antitumor (and antiviral) agents and is integrated with subsequent courses in Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and Special Pharmaceutical Chemistry for the study of the major drug classes. The specific objectives of the course, classified according to the Dublin Descriptors, are as follows: Knowledge and understanding – At the end of the course, students will know and understand the main drugs used in antitumor (and antiviral) therapy. Applying knowledge and understanding – For both the drugs covered in detail and for related compounds, students will be able to apply their knowledge and understanding to recognizing chemical structures, discussing chemical and physicochemical properties, relationships between structure and biological activity, metabolic properties, and proposing possible synthetic routes for their production. Making judgments – Students will be able to use the acquired knowledge to express informed judgments regarding structure–activity relationships, metabolism and related toxicity, production, and drug–drug interactions. They will also be equipped with the tools necessary to critically evaluate pharmaceutical chemistry texts and articles. Communication skills – Students will be able to clearly present topics discussed in class, even in an original way, and respond appropriately to questions, criticism, and suggestions. Learning skills – Students will develop the ability to manage and expand their knowledge of pharmaceutical chemistry dynamically and as independently as possible. Delivery and Targeting of Antitumor Drugs: At the end of the course, students will be able to: Knowledge and understanding – Understand the theoretical principles and core technologies for designing drug delivery and targeting systems for antitumor agents, including microcapsules, microspheres, nanoparticles, and nanostructured systems. Applying knowledge and understanding – Use the acquired concepts to critically analyze the features, mechanisms, and potential of various drug delivery systems, with particular focus on oncology applications. Making judgments – Independently and critically evaluate targeting strategies (passive, active, physical) and production technologies, recognizing the advantages and limitations of different approaches. Communication skills – Express the characteristics and scientific implications of advanced drug delivery and targeting systems using appropriate technical language. Learning skills – Integrate the knowledge acquired during the course with further study, in order to approach more advanced topics and technological innovations in the field of nanomedicine and oncological pharmaceutical technology.

Passing all first-year exams is a prerequisite for all third-year exams. General pathology, medical terminology, and immunology are also prerequisites. However, a drug is defined by its ability to modify a biological system, whether at the molecular, cellular, organ, or systemic level. To make the most of the course, the student should therefore have a solid background in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, physiology, and general principles of pharmacology.

Antitumor Immunopharmacology: Lectures. The course will consist of lectures supported by slides, which will be made available to students. The lectures will cover the main topics of the program, but may not be exhaustive and should not be considered a substitute for the textbook. In fact, the lectures aim to explain a methodological approach to pharmacological topics rather than simply conveying factual knowledge. Antitumor Chemotherapeutic Drugs: The course consists of lectures supported by slides, which will be provided to students at the beginning of the course. Both general and specific topics will be presented, providing the essential knowledge for understanding the subject. The course also aims to foster discussions with students and to illustrate how to acquire transferable skills from one drug class to another—such as predicting chemical and physicochemical properties based on molecular structure, identifying structural elements essential to a drug’s mechanism of action, and recognizing alerting groups that may lead to toxicity. Delivery and Targeting of Antitumor Drugs: The course will be mainly delivered through lectures. Some seminars may be held by professionals working in the pharmaceutical industry, who will illustrate the practical application of the theoretical concepts discussed. On certain occasions, students will be invited to collectively answer questions on previously covered topics and to retrieve supplementary teaching material from the websites of AIFA, EMA, and FDA.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated services and tools by contacting the Career Development and Student Services Coordination Staff and by consulting the dedicated page on the university website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studenti-disabili-e-dsa. Once they have contacted the university staff, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN may also reach out to the course instructor to discuss exam arrangements and other teaching-related aspects.

Antitumor Immunopharmacology: The exam will be oral and will assess: (i) the knowledge acquired regarding pharmacological classes; (ii) the ability to correctly assign specific active compounds to their respective pharmacological classes and describe their main distinctive pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features; (iii) the ability to integrate different topics. Students will be asked to describe one or more therapeutic classes, listing their main active compounds, mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, adverse effects, and to recognize individual drugs. Grading criteria: 18–21: Sufficient knowledge of the topics, sufficient ability to address topics transversally and place knowledge in context, and sufficient ability to assign individual active compounds to the correct therapeutic use. 22–24: Good knowledge of the topics, good transversal and contextual understanding, and good ability to assign active compounds correctly. 25–27: More than good knowledge and transversal/contextual understanding, and more than good ability to assign compounds correctly. 28–30: Excellent knowledge, excellent transversal and contextual understanding, and excellent ability to assign compounds correctly. Antitumor Chemotherapeutic Drugs: The exam consists of a written test, which includes: questions presenting the structure of a drug along with short questions; questions providing the INN (International Nonproprietary Name), for which students must indicate the chemical structure and describe the drug’s properties. These questions aim to assess both knowledge of course content and the ability to apply it to antitumor (and antiviral) drugs. Students are expected to recognize the structure of chemotherapeutic drugs, identify functional groups, acidic/basic/stereogenic centers, predict metabolic reactions, and propose synthetic routes for their preparation. The test will confirm whether the student has achieved the learning objectives, including knowledge and understanding of the course content, the ability to present this knowledge clearly and accurately, and the ability to apply it to specific pharmaceutical-chemical problems related to the drug classes studied. Delivery and Targeting of Antitumor Drugs: The exam will be conducted in written and/or oral form. To pass, students must demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts of each topic and the ability to apply them. The final mark (out of 30) will be based on the following criteria: Theoretical and applied knowledge and understanding of the studied topics; Independent judgment and ability to make connections among topics; Communication skills and appropriate use of technical language; Learning ability.

Antitumor Immunopharmacology Introduction to tumor transformation mechanisms; Overview of tumor-immune system interactions; Therapeutic applications of chemotherapeutic agents covered in the pharmaceutical chemistry module: Drugs acting on nucleic acids: intercalating agents, topoisomerase poisons, alkylating agents, metal-based agents, chain cutters. Drugs targeting tubulin; Drugs acting on enzymes: DHFR, thymidylate synthase, adenosine deaminase, HGPRT, PARP, HDAC; Anti-estrogens and aromatase inhibitors; Kinase inhibitors: Growth factor receptors (GFR), cyclin-dependent kinases, Bcr-Abl; Miscellaneous: proteasome inhibitors, thalidomide and derivatives; Monoclonal antibodies and their therapeutic mechanisms: ADCC (Antibody-Dependent Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity); CDC (Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity); Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Bispecific antibodies and T-cell engagers; Trispecific antibodies; Clinical examples; Cell-based immunotherapies: LAK cells (Lymphokine-Activated Killer); Sipuleucel-T; CAR-T and CAR-NK therapies; Viral vaccines Antitumor Chemotherapeutic Drugs Antitumor drugs, including: Drugs acting on nucleic acids: intercalating agents, topoisomerase poisons, alkylating agents, metal-based agents, chain cutters. Drugs targeting tubulin; Enzyme inhibitors: DHFR, thymidylate synthase, HDAC; Anti-estrogens and aromatase inhibitors; Kinase inhibitors: GFR and Bcr-Abl; Miscellaneous: proteasome inhibitors, thalidomide and derivatives. Brief mention of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Antiviral drugs: General overview; Main antiviral agents; Drugs against HIV, influenza, and hepatitis C. Delivery and Targeting of Antitumor Drugs The course introduces the main strategies and technologies used to optimize the targeted transport of antitumor drugs, with a focus on micro- and nanoparticulate delivery systems. Students acquire theoretical knowledge on the structures, mechanisms, technologies, and applications of advanced drug delivery systems. Topics include: Microcapsules and microspheres: internal structure, classification criteria, pharmaceutical applications, particularly in controlled release and drug protection; Drug targeting mechanisms: Passive targeting: based on the anatomical-pathological features of tumor tissues; Active targeting: based on specific interactions between carriers and biological targets; Physical targeting: using external stimuli such as heat, ultrasound, or magnetic fields; Evolution of drug delivery systems: First-, second-, and third-generation systems, increasingly refined in tumor microenvironment recognition and response. Production technologies: emulsion, spray drying, coacervation, nanoprecipitation, controlled synthesis. Nanostructured systems: Applications in drug targeting, imaging, and theranostics; Systems include: solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes – with a focus on their advantages, limitations, and surface modifications; Advanced nanocarriers: Dendrimers, polymersomes, SPIO magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, ceramic and carbon-based nanoparticles; Analysis of their physicochemical properties, potential oncological applications, and integration of therapy and diagnostics.

Antitumor Immunopharmacology Starting from an understanding of anti-tumor therapies—particularly immunotherapy and its rational development—students will learn the main pharmacological classes and specific drugs currently available. They will gain knowledge of each drug’s mechanism of action, therapeutic application, and toxicity profile. After completing this course, students will also be able to critically assess the pharmacological profile of new drugs that may be developed and approved in the future. Antitumor Chemotherapeutic Drugs Students will gain insight into the chemical, metabolic, drug-likeness, therapeutic, and toxicological aspects of major antitumor (and antiviral) drugs. They will be able to apply this knowledge with a critical mindset, even to drugs not directly discussed during lectures. Delivery and Targeting of Antitumor Drugs By the end of the course, students will have acquired a solid understanding of micro- and nanoparticulate systems used for the delivery of antitumor drugs, including their structure, classification, and applications. They will be able to critically analyze drug release and targeting strategies, including passive, active, and physical mechanisms. Students will demonstrate the ability to independently evaluate the potential of different systems by considering their technological, functional, and therapeutic aspects in the oncological field. They will also develop communication skills to clearly and scientifically present the characteristics of nanocarriers and related technologies, using appropriate technical language. Finally, students will acquire learning skills that will enable them to autonomously deepen their understanding of future advances in nanomedicine and pharmaceutical technology, promoting continuous updating and interdisciplinary integration.