Leveraging novel peptide or protein biologics with Genetic Polymers
Biologics, especially recombinant DNA (rDNA) derived protein pharmaceuticals, represent the fastest growing segment of pharmaceutical sales, currently at $51 billion worldwide and expected to hit $87 billion by 2010. Industrial scale protein production technologies are currently being applied to the development of a wide variety of peptide- and protein-based therapeutics, including hormones, growth factors, antibodies and cytokine modulators, to treat a vast range of human diseases.
Frequently, these drugs have a substandard pharmacological profile, including a relatively short plasma half-life. As a result, the traditional trial and error methods, including site-specific amino acid substitution, conjugation to carrier domains and post-expression chemical conjugation, usually to monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (PEG), have been developed to extend the plasma half-life of the therapeutic proteins while not compromising efficacy or introducing safety issues (immunogenicity and other off-mechanism toxicities). While these methods have been successful, they are time consuming and costly to develop and often are heavily encumbered by existing intellectual property.
Aequus offers a better approach.
Data obtained using our Genetic Polymer™ platform technology suggests that protein drugs with an optimized pharmacological profile can quickly and efficiently be developed. We can collaborate with you to investigate whether we can improve your protein-based drug candidate. For further information, please contact us.
