Therapeutic Peptides: Introduction 

By Erik A. Ward, DC

NOVA Pain & Rehab Center

. http://www.novapainandrehab.com/

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Therapeutic Peptides: Introduction 

Peptides have been produced and modified using both chemical and biological methods, together with novel design and delivery strategies. Peptides can often play vital roles in the human body such as hormones, growth factors, neurotransmitters, ion channel ligands, and anti-infectives. Generally, peptides are effective and selective signaling molecules that bind to specific cell surface receptors, triggering intracellular effects. Additionally, in clinical trials, peptides have shown exceptional safety and tolerability in study subjects, while maintaining high selectivity and potency as well as predictable metabolism. 

Current applications and future directions 

Therapeutic peptides are a unique class of pharmaceutical agents composed of a series of well-ordered amino acids. Research into therapeutic peptides started with fundamental studies of natural human hormones, including insulin, oxytocin, vasopressin, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and their specific physiological activities in the human body. With the introduction of AI, peptide drug development has entered a new era with advances in structural biology, recombinant biologics, and new synthetic and analytic technologies. The development of peptide drugs has thus become one of the hottest topics in pharmaceutical research. 

Advantages 

Therapeutic peptides commonly act as hormones, growth factors, neurotransmitters, anti-inflammatory, or anti-aging agents. They bind to cell surface receptors and trigger intracellular effects with high affinity and specificity, with a similar mode of action to biologics, including therapeutic proteins and antibodies. There are very few side effects to Peptides which puts them on the cutting edge of health care technology; both in their implications and treatment potential.