Intranasal antisense therapy: preclinical models with a clinical future?

: Recent progress in the development of two antisense strategies--DNA oligonucleotides and RNA interference for the treatment of respiratory diseases are discussed in this review. Appropriate formulations and chemical modifications for improved stability should foster the clinical application of antisense drugs, but the delivery of antisense drugs to their intended target tissue remains the biggest challenge for most therapeutic applications of these compounds. The nose provides a particularly attractive route for antisense drug delivery to the respiratory system; however, significant hurdles remain.