Therapeutics & Vaccines
Peptides to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease
WARF: P140391US02
Inventors: Regina Murphy, Jeffrey Johnson, Patricia Cho, Xiaomeng Lu
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in developing peptides that target amyloid-beta, a main component of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Overview
Amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides play a crucial role in Alzheimer’s disease – they are a main component of the toxic amyloid plaques found in patients’ brains. Aβ is so dangerous because it can aggregate into misfolded forms and cause a chain reaction.
This link to Alzheimer’s disease has motivated the search for compounds that can bind to and inhibit Aβ activity. Numerous small molecules that alter Aβ production and/or aggregation have been explored but none have proven clinically effective. An alternative approach is to use peptides or peptide mimics because they have potential advantages over small molecules in terms of better target affinity and specificity.
In general, two strategies have been employed by researchers in the quest for Aβ-binding peptides: (i) designing peptides using self-complementation or (ii) screening random peptide libraries.
This link to Alzheimer’s disease has motivated the search for compounds that can bind to and inhibit Aβ activity. Numerous small molecules that alter Aβ production and/or aggregation have been explored but none have proven clinically effective. An alternative approach is to use peptides or peptide mimics because they have potential advantages over small molecules in terms of better target affinity and specificity.
In general, two strategies have been employed by researchers in the quest for Aβ-binding peptides: (i) designing peptides using self-complementation or (ii) screening random peptide libraries.
The Invention
UW–Madison researchers have developed a new strategy to design peptides that could be turned into therapeutics to treat or halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The cyclized (ring-shaped) peptides are derived from transthyretin (TTR), a protein found in cerebrospinal fluid that is known to bind to Aβ and inhibit its toxicity in vitro and in vivo. The new peptides mimic both the sequence and the hairpin structure of transthyretin’s Aβ binding domain.
Applications
- Developing new Aβ-binding peptides that could be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease
Key Benefits
- Potential new weapon against devastating Alzheimer’s disease
- Cyclized proteins are more stable (less susceptible to protease cleavage).
Stage of Development
Binding data and preliminary cell culture data show promise. The new peptides strongly interact with Aβ and affect aggregation, and also are able to protect neurons against Aβ toxicity at relatively low concentration.
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
Related Technologies
- WARF reference number P100028US02 describes compounds that reduce β-amyloid production and thus may be potential therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease.
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- WARF reference number P120322US02 describes a method using nasal spray to help deliver drugs across the blood-brain barrier and potentially treat conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Tech Fields
For current licensing status, please contact Rafael Diaz at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9847