Peptides are large molecules composed of 10 to 100 amino acids linked together in a manner similar to that of proteins. Their size falls between that of small molecules and proteins, with a molecular weight typically under 10,000 Da. Peptide drugs are often developed based on endogenous or naturally occurring peptides. They are among the first biological macromolecules to be used clinically and function by targeting specific receptors or cell surface molecules to modulate signaling pathways.

Characteristics of Peptide Drugs

Due to their structural characteristics, peptide drugs have significant benefits and advantages when compared to traditional small-molecule drugs and large-molecule biological drugs.

• Strong affinity
• High specificity
• Widespread targets
• Low immunogenicity
• Few side effects
• Easy to modify and optimize

Applications for Peptide Drugs

So far, there are more than 100 types of peptide drugs on the market, used for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, osteoporosis, hepatitis, AIDS and chronic pain.

• Diabetes Mellitus

Peptide drugs are of vital importance in the treatment of diabetes, accounting for approximately 70% of the global hypoglycemic drug market.

• Reproductive System Diseases

• Cardiovascular Diseases

• Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders

• Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases

Peptide APIs can also be used in other therapeutic fields, such as anti-tumor (Melphalan Flufenamide), anti-infection (Ritonavir, Nirmatrelvir), anti-microbial (Oritavancin, Dalbavancin), etc.

Administration Methods for Peptide Drugs

• Intravenous injection

Most peptide drugs are administered by injection, including intravenous injection, intraperitoneal injection, subcutaneous injection, etc. This method has rapid distribution in the body and quick absorption, but it often has problems such as poor patient compliance and infection risks.

• Oral administration

Due to the fact that the activity of peptide drugs is easily affected by factors such as temperature and pH, and their permeability to the intestinal epithelium is poor, the effect of oral administration is significantly lower than that of injection. However, due to the great convenience of oral administration, it remains the future research direction for peptide drugs.

• Other administration routes

Peptide drugs can also be inhaled into the nasal cavity and respiratory tract in aerosol form to improve bioavailability and avoid the first-pass effect. In addition, some new sustained-release formulations are under research.

In recent years, with the development and maturity of peptide synthesis technology, peptide drugs have become one of the hotspots for drug research and development. Protheragen provides a full range of peptide APIs to support global new drug research and the production of generic drugs, helping peptide drugs gain broader application prospects in the future. If you are interested in our products, please contact us.