Therapeutic Advances in Diabetes, Autoimmune, and Neurological Diseases.

Since 2015, 170 small molecules, 60 antibody-based entities, 12 peptides, and 15 gene- or cell-therapies have been approved by FDA for diverse disease indications. Recent advancement in medicine is facilitated by identification of new targets and mechanisms of actions, advancement in discovery and development platforms, and the emergence of novel technologies. Early disease detection, precision intervention, and personalized treatments have revolutionized patient care in the last decade.

Impact of non-proteinogenic amino acids in the discovery and development of peptide therapeutics.

With the development of modern chemistry and biology, non-proteinogenic amino acids (NPAAs) have become a powerful tool for developing peptide-based drug candidates. Drug-like properties of peptidic medicines, due to the smaller size and simpler structure compared to large proteins, can be changed fundamentally by introducing NPAAs in its sequence. While peptides composed of natural amino acids can be used as drug candidates, the majority have shown to be less stable in biological conditions.

Peptides to combat viral infectious diseases.

Viral infectious diseases have resulted in millions of deaths throughout history and have created a significant public healthcare burden. Tremendous efforts have been placed by the scientific communities, health officials and government organizations to detect, treat, and prevent viral infection. However, the complicated life cycle and rapid genetic mutations of viruses demand continuous development of novel medicines with high efficacy and safety profiles.