Development of marine organisms derived carbohydrate-based drugs: From bioactivity to clinical translation

Marine organism-derived carbohydrates, ubiquitously distributed in marine algae, invertebrates and microorganisms, represent a chemically diverse class of biomolecules with promising therapeutic potential. Their structural complexity, arising from polyanionic properties, distinct sulfation patterns, unique glycosidic linkages, and diverse molecular architectures, contributes to a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities including anticoagulant, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. These biomaterials also exhibit inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability, which render them high potential for advanced biomedical applications, particularly in tissue engineering and targeted drug delivery systems. Since the approval of cytarabine in 1969, several marine-derived carbohydrate-based drugs have been successfully developed and applied in clinical applications. Furthermore, a growing number of marine-derived carbohydrates are currently under clinical trials, highlighting their potential for clinical translation. In this review, we provide a systematic summary of the sources, structural characteristics, and biological activities of carbohydrates derived from marine organisms. A comprehensive overview of the physicochemical properties and therapeutic indications of both approved and clinically evaluated marine-derived carbohydrate drugs is also summarized.