The androgen receptor (AR) plays
a key role in the maintenance
of muscle and bone and the support of male sexual-related functions,
as well as in the progression of prostate cancer. Accordingly, AR-targeted
therapies have been developed for the treatment of related human diseases
and conditions. AR agonists are an important class of drugs in the
treatment of bone loss and muscle atrophy. AR antagonists have also
been developed for the treatment of prostate cancer, including metastatic
castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Additionally, selective
AR degraders (SARDs) have been reported. More recently, heterobifunctional
degrader molecules of AR have been developed, and four such compounds
are now in clinical development for the treatment of human prostate
cancer. This review attempts to summarize the different types of compounds
designed to target AR and the current frontiers of research on this
important therapeutic target.