Recent Update on Development of Small-Molecule STAT3 Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy: From Phosphorylation Inhibition to Protein Degradation

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor that regulates various biological processes, including proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune response, and chemoresistance. In normal cells, STAT3 is tightly regulated to maintain a transiently active state, while persistent STAT3 activation occurs frequently in cancers, associating with a poor prognosis and tumor progression. Targeting the STAT3 protein is a potentially promising therapeutic strategy for tumors. Although none of the STAT3 inhibitors has been marketed yet, a few of them have succeeded in entering clinical trials. This Review aims to systematically summarize the progress of the last 5 years in the discovery of directive STAT3 small-molecule inhibitors and degraders, focusing primarily on their structural features, design strategies, and bioactivities. We hope this Review will shed light on future drug design and inhibitor optimization to accelerate the discovery process of STAT3 inhibitors or degraders.