Monday, August 4, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Cancer

Scientists Develop Peptides to Boost Drug Effectiveness

January 24, 2025
in Cancer
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
High-loading peptide-drug nanoparticles
67
SHARES
606
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

In a pivotal breakthrough for cancer treatment, researchers have developed an innovative technology that utilizes meticulously designed peptides to transform drug formulations. This new approach has not only shown immense potential in enhancing anti-tumor efficacy but has also laid the groundwork for more personalized and effective treatment strategies. The findings, unveiled in a recent study published in the esteemed journal Chem, reveal a significant leap forward in addressing two long-standing challenges in drug delivery systems—solubility and delivery efficiency.

Traditionally, the development of efficacious cancer treatments has been hampered by the inherent limitations of many pharmaceutical compounds—poor solubility and inefficient delivery mechanisms. Often, these drugs fail to achieve optimal concentrations at their intended targets due to their inability to dissolve suitably in biological environments. For instance, it is reported that only a mere 5–10% of a drug is successfully loaded in conventional delivery systems, resulting in less effective therapeutic outcomes. The research team set out to address these issues head-on, aiming to make significant strides in drug delivery through the innovative use of peptides.

Peptides, which are short sequences of amino acids, offer a unique versatility that is primed for customization. The researchers strategically designed pairs of peptides to bind with specific drugs, thereby creating a novel type of therapeutic nanoparticle. These nanoparticles consist predominantly of the drug itself encased in a thin peptide layer. This ingenious coating serves multiple purposes: it enhances solubility, improves stability within the body, and ensures optimized delivery to targeted sites within tumor environments, thus augmenting therapeutic effectiveness.

ADVERTISEMENT

The results from preclinical studies in leukemia models are promising. The engineered peptide-drug nanoparticles exhibited remarkable efficacy in shrinking tumors more effectively than the drugs administered alone. Furthermore, this system allows for significantly lower dosages of drugs to be used, which not only conserves precious pharmaceutical resources but also minimizes potential side effects—an aspect especially crucial in cancer treatment where adverse reactions can severely impact a patient’s quality of life.

Co-Principal Investigator Rein Ulijn, a chemistry professor at Hunter College and director of the Nanoscience Initiative at CUNY ASRC, emphasizes the groundbreaking nature of this research. “We believe peptides can provide a sophisticated solution to the dual challenges of poor solubility and inefficient drug delivery that plagues many pharmaceutical compounds. By creating a peptide that enhances performance and solubility, we have developed nanoparticles that can achieve unprecedented drug-loading efficiencies.”

This ongoing research highlights a promising future where drug delivery systems can be customized on a case-by-case basis. The ability to tailor peptides specifically for various drugs implies vast potential applications beyond oncology. Such customization might very well prepare the groundwork for advanced precision medicines that can be engineered to meet individual patient needs more effectively than ever before.

Daniel Heller, another co-principal investigator, heads the Cancer Nanomedicine Laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Molecular Pharmacology Program. He notes the transformative implications of the findings: “With specially designed peptides, we are breaking new ground in building nanomedicines that can enhance the efficacy of existing drugs while reducing toxicity levels significantly. Additionally, this technology offers the possibility of developing drugs that may otherwise lack functionality without these nanoparticles.”

Highlighting the distinctive approach taken by the research team, Naxhije “Gia” Berisha, a former Ph.D. student involved in the experimental work, pointed out the method’s novelty. The researchers utilized systematic experimental testing combined with computational modeling to identify peptides that exhibited optimal interactions with therapeutic molecules. The implications of how minor variations in peptide sequences can significantly alter outcomes demonstrate the intricate and sophisticated nature of this research.

As the research progresses, the team is now exploring the integration of lab automation techniques to streamline and accelerate the peptide-drug matching process. Their future work will aim to validate this innovative approach across a broader spectrum of diseases. If successful, this could herald a new era of medical treatments, ushering in not only improved therapeutic outcomes but also reduced costs associated with drug development.

The study highlights the richness of possibilities that lie within peptide technologies and their potential applicability in a variety of medical fields. With a strategy built on the flexibility and customization inherent in peptides, this research could lead to a paradigm shift in how we approach not only cancer but also a host of other health issues requiring targeted drug delivery systems.

In the broader context, this discovery mirrors a growing trend in medical research that emphasizes personalization and tailoring of treatments to the specific needs of patients. As such medical advancements take root, we may witness a significant improvement in patient care outcomes, with treatments that are not only more effective but also safer and ultimately more accessible.

To summarize, the pioneering research undertaken at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center marks a critical step toward the future of drug delivery systems. With its basis in peptide chemistry and the promise of high-load delivery systems, this innovative approach holds the potential to revolutionize cancer therapeutics and inspire new methodologies across various therapeutic areas.


Subject of Research: Drug Delivery Systems
Article Title: Directed discovery of high-loading nanoaggregates enabled by drug-matched oligo-peptide excipients
News Publication Date: January 24, 2025
Web References: Chem Journal
References: DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2024.102404
Image Credits: Credit: Rein Ulijn

Keywords: Cancer medication, Peptides, Discovery research, Nanoparticles

Tags: amino acid sequences in medicineanti-tumor peptide technologybreakthroughs in cancer researchChem journal study findingsdrug formulation innovationsefficient drug delivery mechanismsenhancing drug delivery systemsimproving drug solubilitypeptides for cancer treatmentpersonalized cancer therapiespharmaceutical compound challengestargeted drug delivery strategies
Share27Tweet17
Previous Post

Revolutionary Nano-Architected Materials: Combining Machine Learning and Nano-3D Printing for Unmatched Strength and Lightness

Next Post

Sex-based differences in lung cancer

Related Posts

blank
Cancer

Rethinking Cancer Unknown Primary: From Diagnosis to Treatment

August 4, 2025
blank
Cancer

University of Bath Innovates Breakthrough Technology to Replace Injections with Pills

August 4, 2025
blank
Cancer

Breast Cancer Survival Trends in Ethiopia Revealed

August 4, 2025
blank
Cancer

Small RNA Fragments Hold Major Promise in Advancing Cancer Treatment

August 4, 2025
blank
Cancer

Survival Comparison: HER2+ Pregnancy vs. Non-Pregnancy Breast Cancer

August 4, 2025
blank
Cancer

Advancing Tumor Immunotherapy: The Role of Spatial and Single-Cell Omics in Biomarker Discovery

August 4, 2025
Next Post
blank

Sex-based differences in lung cancer

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27529 shares
    Share 11008 Tweet 6880
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    939 shares
    Share 376 Tweet 235
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    640 shares
    Share 256 Tweet 160
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    506 shares
    Share 202 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    310 shares
    Share 124 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Rethinking Cancer Unknown Primary: From Diagnosis to Treatment
  • Kushneria Pigments Trigger Cancer Cell Death via BAX/BCL-2
  • Alpha-Synuclein Levels Unnecessary for Parkinson’s Pathology
  • Green Populism: Europe’s Environmental Politics Shift

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,184 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading