Strategies for Engineering Precise Folding of Proteins, Peptides, and Antibodies

Peptide cyclization is a common strategy to engineer better polypeptide-based therapeutics, or other industrial proteins/peptides. Cyclization and crosslinking are achieved in nature using disulfide bridges. This invention consists of methods to create noncovalent crosslinks in peptides in a manner which simplifies chemical synthesis and guides polypeptide folding while simultaneously creating labeled compounds that can be traced in live animals using imaging techniques.

Benefits
Cyclization methods are time-consuming and difficult to achieve with high yields. This invention provides more simplified methods which reduce time of synthesis, analysis, and improves yield. These approaches will significantly improve high-throughput synthesis of peptides for screening, lead-optimization, structure-activity-relationship studies, and industrial-scale drug manufacturing. This technology also applies to synthesis of monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, and peptide hormones.

Industries which would benefit from application of this technology include the pharmaceutical industry, industrial manufacturers of enzymes and biologicals, antibody and reagent companies, and other industries making use of either natural peptides or peptide analogues.

Stage of Development
A provisional patent application has been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This technology is part of an active and ongoing research program. It is available for developmental research support/licensing under either exclusive or non-exclusive terms.

Additional Info
� Buczek O, Green BR, Bulaj G (2007) Biopolymers 88:8-19
� Fuller E, et al., (2005) FEBS J 272: 1727-38
� see primary inventor�s website

Inventor(s): Grzegorz Bulaj, Darrell Davis, Eric Schmidt, Baldomero Olivera, Jack Skalicky, Aleksandra Walewska

Type of Offer: Licensing



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