The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein
kinase B (AKT)/mammalian
target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is one of the most important intracellular
pathways involved in cell proliferation, growth, differentiation,
and survival. Therefore, this route is a prospective biological target
for treating various human diseases, such as tumors, neurodegenerative
diseases, pulmonary fibrosis, and diabetes. An increasing number of
clinical studies emphasize the necessity of developing novel molecules
targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This review focuses on recent
advances in ATP-competitive inhibitors, allosteric inhibitors, covalent
inhibitors, and proteolysis-targeting chimeras against the PI3K/AKT/mTOR
pathway, and highlights possible solutions for overcoming the toxicities
and acquired drug resistance of currently available drugs. We also
provide recommendations for the future design and development of promising
drugs targeting this pathway.