Researchers at Glaxo Wellcome subsidiary Affymax have developed a small peptide which can mimic the effects of erythropoietin. It is the first time that a small peptide has been designed which can duplicate the effects of a large polypeptide hormone, according to a report in Science (July 25).
Interestingly, the structure of the peptide has no sequence or structural homology with EPO, but nevertheless seems to behave as a full agonist. The peptide was developed using Affymax' proprietary phage display screening technology, in which billions of oligonucleotide sequences are inserted into the genes coding for the coat of a filamentous phage. The peptides coded by the oligonucleotides are displayed on the surface of the phages, for screening against a target molecule.
Recombinant EPO products, which are currently administered intravenously for a variety of indications including anemia caused by chemotherapy and kidney disease, generates over $2.5 billion in sales every year, so a small molecule mimetic could have significant revenue potential.
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