Novel drug delivery systems breathe new life into therapeutic peptides

At the moment very few peptides in unmodified chemical form are used as drugs, but advances in drug delivery technology will contribute to a revival in their development as therapeutic agents, according to a new research report from Urch Publishing.

The lack of peptide drugs in the present drug armory is due to their poor stability in the gastrointestinal and circulatory systems, says the report, Opportunities in Drug Delivery - Identifying Hot Technologies, Companies and Markets. Peptides are rapidly broken down by intrinsic peptidases and proteases. Poor stability in the gastrointestinal system has required them to be administered intravenously and their short half-life in the circulation has required a number of them to be injected daily or even more frequently.

According to the report, there are at least 80 peptides in various stages of clinical trials for a wide range of indications and a further 60 candidates are in late-stage pre-clinical trials. Approximately 50 companies have peptides in clinical trials and a further 25-30 companies have peptides in late pre-clinical evaluation. Most of the peptides in clinical trials are administered by injection but a number of companies are re-ported to be investigating alternative, more patient-friendly, ways of administering their products. Many of these early-stage products will serve at this time as prototypes for development of more active compounds.

'The situation does emphasise the confidence that companies are placing in the possibility of launching new peptides, each of which could represent a new opportunity for drug development companies to develop patient-friendly delivery forms, says the report's author Dr Brian Minter.

With most of the top-selling drugs already having been targeted for a wide range of delivery systems, Dr Minter believes that drug delivery companies will need to focus their technology increasingly on new chemical entities in r&d. Of those companies profiled in these report, some 25 have developed novel technologies for the delivery of peptides, polypeptides and proteins. 'There are considerable opportunities for drug delivery companies to collaborate with companies developing peptides and macromolecules including oligonucleotides,' he said.

Opportunities in Drug Delivery - Identifying Hot Technologies, Companies and Markets is available from Urch Publishing, price £895.