Glycans are not just decorations on the cell surface; they interact with proteins to initiate a wide array of critical biological processes and cellular communication. By leveraging these interactions to trigger receptor-mediated endocytosis, researchers can exploit glycan-binding pathways for the precise, targeted delivery of therapeutic agents.

Several FDA-approved RNA-based therapies–including Givosiran, Lumasiran, and Inclisiran–already rely on GalNAc-ASGPR binding to deliver drugs to the liver. This ability to guide molecules to specific tissue has opened the door to more effective and less toxic treatments.

However, unlocking the full potential of glycan-based targeting requires going beyond hepatocytes. To harness the promise of precision delivery across the entire body, researchers need tools that can rapidly map ligand-cell interactions directly in complex biological environments.