Peptide therapy is an emerging form of cancer treatment that uses peptides - short chains of amino acids - to target and block the growth of cancer cells. Certain types of peptides have high specificity for cancer cell receptors and enzymes, allowing them to infiltrate cancer cell membranes easily and then mediate anti-tumor activity from within the cell. The potential for peptide therapy in oncology is immense owing to the versatility and low toxicity of peptides as a treatment modality.
Benefits of Peptide Therapy for Cancer
Compared to other cancer therapies, peptide-based agents offer several advantages:
- High specificity: Peptides bind exclusively to overexpressed receptors on cancerous tissues and spare normal, healthy cells, thereby minimizing systemic side effects. Mechanisms include triggering apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells, blocking cell growth pathways, and causing vascular collapse within tumors.
- Minimal toxicity: Peptides are well tolerated in the body since they mimic endogenous molecules. Hence, very few adverse effects are observed with their use.
- Versatility: Numerous aspects of a cancer cell's lifecycle, including angiogenesis (blood vessel formation), invasion and proliferation can be targeted using peptides. They can be given intravenously or orally.
- Ease and speed of development: Peptides are easier to generate and optimize in the lab compared to other biologics. Their development timeline is also faster.
- Convenience in administration: Peptides require minimal to no premedication when given as injections and have no issues with route of administration.
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Different Mechanisms for Targeting Tumors
Peptide Therapies Approved or In Pipeline
Hormone Harmony - Offering Cutting-Edge Peptide Treatment
Different Mechanisms for Targeting Tumors
Specific native peptides and peptide derivatives can act through several mechanisms to starve tumors of nutrients and oxygen, cut off their access to survival signals and stimulate direct cell death of malignant cells.
- Inhibiting angiogenesis: Tumors grow rapidly by secreting VEGF and other proteins that allow them to build new blood vessels for nutrient supply. Angiogenesis inhibitors prevent these new blood vessels from developing around tumors.
- Triggering apoptosis directly: Peptides can initiate programmed cell death in cancers by mobilizing deadly enzymes inside tumor cells.
- Blocking cell growth pathways: Signals from ligands like EGF, PDGF and IGF help cancers proliferate unchecked. Peptides can jam these signals leading to stagnant, non-dividing tumor cells.
- Stimulating anticancer immunity: Certain peptides boost immune cells like dendritic cells, macrophages and T cells to recognize and destroy cancers more efficiently.
- Collapsing tumor vasculature: Peptides can lock onto receptors on blood vessels nourishing cancers and cause the vessels to implode, cutting off oxygen and nutrients.
Peptide Therapies Approved or In Pipeline
Several peptide therapies that exploit these anticancer mechanisms have been developed.
- The anti-angiogenesis peptide Bevacizumab blocks vessel growth in tumors. Approved for colorectal, lung, kidney, cervical, ovarian and brain (glioblastoma) cancers.
- Breast cancer peptide vaccine E75 helps immune cells recognize and kill cancerous cells that express the HER2 protein.
- Cell growth pathway inhibiting peptide Octreotide slows growth of certain endocrine (hormone-producing) tumors like carcinoid tumors by binding the somatostatin receptor.
- Several apoptosis-inducing peptides like KLA are undergoing assessment in clinical studies across lymphoma, leukemias and advanced solid malignancies.
- Combretastatin A4 causes vascular collapse within tumors by binding to tubulin, a structural protein in blood vessel walls. Under clinical investigation against ovarian cancer and thyroid cancer.
- Peptide EPC2407 ligates tumor blood vessel cells and disrupts vascular supply. Being tested in phase I trials presently.
As research continues, more peptide medications for cancer will reach patients in coming years.
Hormone Harmony - Offering Cutting-Edge Peptide Treatment
At Hormone Harmony, we provide peptide-based integrative therapies for cancer patients seeking alternatives to improve quality of life and combat side effects. Under expert guidance, peptides can be administered safely in combination with chemotherapy, radiation or surgery for enhanced outcomes with minimal toxicity.
Our clinic focuses strongly on scientifically studying peptide applications in oncology to offer patients well-researched, evidence-based regimens with proven clinical benefit instead of generics. We continuously upgrade our peptide therapy options by actively enrolling patients in ethical clinical trials investigating novel anticancer peptides.
To learn more about the latest innovations in peptide-based care
for your cancer, speak to our patient care coordinators today for a free consultation or join our newsletter!
