Current Trends On Peptide Drug Discovery

By Daniel West


While most preclinical pharmacologists and biotechnology experts may not always agree, peptide therapeutics provides noticeable commercial success. Over 50 peptide drugs, with yearly sales of more than $1 billion each, were sold in 2010. These drugs have ability to slow down metabolic diseases and tumor growth. Scientists are carrying out research to establish whether peptides can function as vaccines, contraceptives, and antimicrobials. The quality of health care services is set to improve with the peptide drug discovery and its development.

There are host of sources of peptides; they are readily available in multicellular and unicellular organisms. Additionally, they can be acquired from chemical libraries and recombinant. They provide a greater chemical diversity than other classes of biological molecules. Due to their easy degradation, peptides are administered through injections. Since they occur naturally, peptides are safer than artificial medication. They have a higher selectivity, efficacy, and specificity. Their bioactivities are important for drug discovery and include amino acids and coordination of major physiological processes. Therefore, they can neutralize complications at a faster rate than synthetic medications.

When peptides degrade completely, they turn into proteinogenic amino acids without necessarily releasing harmful metabolites. Synthetic drugs produce toxic metabolites that may cause other complications and they might have serious side effects. The popularity of peptides has been increasing on a fast rate over the past few years. Their short half-life ensures that metabolites circulate in the blood for a short duration.

Peptides can easily penetrate deeper tissues and neutralize complications, an activity almost impossible for large-sized protein. They tend to have a budget-friendly manufacturing cost especially when they are produced in bulk. These drugs function effectively when they are stored at room temperatures. Since peptides are mostly derived from proteins and other polypeptides, they can interact with almost all membrane proteins. Small quantity of peptides can be used to either activate or deactivate target receptors. Peptide antagonists that have ability to stimulate ligand-receptor reactions are very few.

The number of peptide medications that are being deployed to the health care market is increasing tremendously. These drugs are peptide derivatives and hormones, which fuel hormone action. The number of these medications being introduced to the market has been on an upward trend since 2010. At times, these medications are placed in the market and then withdrawn after a short period.

Most peptides are undergoing clinical trials. Drugs that are undergoing clinical trials target oncology and highly infectious diseases. The method of administering these medications is intravenously and subcutaneously. Some of these trials have proved to be successful and within a few years, peptides might become mainstream drugs.

The major challenge that is hindering commercialization of peptides is its administration procedure and easy degradation. Researchers are trying to come with solutions that allow administration of peptides in a form that is not easily degraded in the digestive system. The collaboration of stakeholders in the health industry and scientist is likely to bear fruits.

Peptide optimization strategies seem to be working. For instance, the drugs are being encapsulated with mesoporous silica particles to lower their degradability. Other optimization strategies entail attachment of polymers like polyethylene glycol groups to the drugs.




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