Landmark Discoveries in Peptide Therapeutics
The development of peptide-based therapeutics has significantly advanced modern medicine. One of the earliest and most impactful breakthroughs in peptide therapeutics was the discovery and use of insulin as a treatment for diabetes. Isolated in 1921 by Frederick Banting and Charles Best, insulin has since saved millions of lives worldwide by regulating blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes.1 The discovery of insulin marked the beginning of peptide-based therapies, demonstrating the immense potential of peptides in medicine.
Another landmark discovery came in the 1970s with the development of angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE, inhibitors, a class of peptides that revolutionized the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. Captopril, the first ACE inhibitor, was synthesized in 1975 and works by preventing the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, a peptide that causes blood vessel constriction. By blocking this pathway, ACE inhibitors help lower blood pressure and improve heart function.2
Peptide vaccines have also emerged as critical tools in combating infectious diseases and certain cancers. These vaccines use synthetic peptides to stimulate the immune system, allowing it to recognize and attack specific pathogens or cancer cells. Hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, HPV, vaccines are prominent examples of peptide-based vaccines that have successfully reduced the incidence of their respective infections.3 The development of these vaccines has significantly impacted public health, demonstrating the potential of peptide-based immunotherapy.
Furthermore, peptides have played a crucial role in cancer therapy. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, PRRT, for instance, uses peptides to target specific receptors on tumor cells. Once bound, these peptides deliver targeted radioactive molecules, destroying cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. PRRT has shown promising results in treating neuroendocrine tumors, further highlighting the versatility of peptide therapeutics.4
Conclusion
The discovery of therapeutic peptides like insulin, ACE inhibitors, and peptide vaccines has transformed medicine, offering targeted, effective treatments for a range of diseases. As research in peptide chemistry and biology continues to evolve, new peptide-based therapeutics are likely to emerge, offering even more refined approaches to treating diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and infectious diseases.
Citations and Links
1. Banting, Frederick, and Charles Best. “The Discovery of Insulin.” Canadian Medical Association Journal, vol. 121, no. 2, 1922, pp. 13-20.
2. Ondetti, Miguel A., et al. “Captopril: A Specific Inhibitor of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme in Man.” Science, vol. 196, no. 4288, 1977, pp. 441-444. doi:10.1126/science.301613.
3. Harper, Diane M., et al. “Efficacy of a Bivalent L1 Virus-Like Particle Vaccine in Prevention of Infection with Human Papillomavirus Types 16 and 18 in Young Women.” The Lancet, vol. 364, no. 9447, 2004, pp. 1757-1765. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17398-4.
4. Strosberg, Jonathan, et al. “Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy for Neuroendocrine Tumors.” Journal of Clinical Oncology, vol. 35, no. 8, 2017, pp. 865-872. doi:10.1200/JCO.2016.70.8940.