A promising approach to improve both diagnostic sensitivity/specificity and definitive therapy is the evolving field of tumor-targeting peptides. Tumor-targeting peptides have the potential to enable more precise diagnostic imaging while simultaneously advancing new therapeutic paradigms for next generation image-guided surgery, tumor-specific chemotherapeutic delivery and tumor-selective targeted theranostic radiotherapy.
Peptide-based Theranostics
Xiaoyuuan (Shawn) Chen, Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Peptide drugs are a small niche market, but actually growing rather rapidly. Peptide theranostics aim to identify the receptor and its targeting peptide. Peptide analogs are designed and prepared with the intention of optimizing the biological activity and metabolic behavior, as well as the chemical conjugation that would make it work functionally as either a diagnostic imaging agent or a therapeutic.
Image-guided receptor targeted radionuclide therapy for cancer. Alpha-particle theranostics from academic discovery to clinical use as a small biotech startup
Michael Schultz, The University of Iowa and Viewpoint Molecular Targeting
Talk outline:
- University start-ups
- “Academic Entrepreneurism”
- MC1R targeting
- Translational realities
Multivalent theranostic nanoprobe for the PSMA-targeted delivery of a therapeutic peptide to prostate cancer
J. Manuel Perez, Cedar Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Talk outline:
- Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)
- Folate-conjugated polymeric nanoparticles
- CT20p, a therapeutic peptide that targets Chaperonin