# Self‐Immolative Systems in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications

## TL;DR

Self-immolative systems are versatile tools that enable precise and residue-free release of molecules for drug delivery and diagnostics.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the versatility and broad applications of self-immolative systems in biomedical sciences.

## Key findings

- Self-immolative systems operate via stimulus-triggered intramolecular reactions to release target molecules.
- They are used in drug delivery, diagnostics, nanotechnology, and biosensing.
- These systems offer residue-free and targeted release of molecules.

## Abstract

Self‐immolative systems first emerged in prodrug chemistry in the 1980s. Since then, several types of self‐immolative systems have been developed. Despite their structural differences, all self‐immolative systems operate on the same principle: an intramolecular reaction cascade triggered by a specific stimulus, ultimately leading to the release of a molecule of interest. Self‐immolative systems offer the possibility of delivering molecules safely, ensuring their specific, residue‐free release at a defined location. Consequently, they have been applied in various fields, including targeted drug delivery, detection of protein biomarkers and small endogenous molecules, signal amplification, and the engineering of nanomedicines. Self‐immolative systems therefore represent a versatile platform for chemical engineering in biomedical sciences.

Self‐Immolative Systems enable the precise, residue‐free release of active molecules, drugs, probes, or sensors, via cyclization or elimination, triggered by specific stimuli. Their versatility drives advances in drug delivery, diagnostics, nanotechnology, materials chemistry, and biosensing, offering chemists control over molecular activation and shaping the future of targeted therapies and smart materials.© 2026 WILEY‐VCH GmbH