What are Peptides?

Peptides can be thought of as small proteins that act as highly specific signaling molecules in many crucial functions in our bodies. They assist in hormone production, cell signaling, and cell-to-cell communication. Researchers and clinicians alike are looking at peptides as a breakthrough in medicine because:

• Low toxicity
• High chemical and biological diversity
• High potency and specificity
• Good efficacy, safety, and tolerability
• A broad range of targets
• Enhances cell growth

But perhaps the biggest advantage of therapeutic peptides is the fact that they are amenable to rational design. Therapeutic peptides can be designed to be involved in virtually any cellular process. This means that they can be designed to block interactions of proteins as long as enough of the sequence of the target site is known and conditions allow for the peptide to bind it.