Protein Therapeutics Drug Discovery
Innovations
Protein therapy has proven its importance in the therapeutic industry. While it has definitely shown its impact, the potential in using protein in developing better drugs is endless. The next generation of protein therapeutics will likely include enhanced antibodies and vaccines as well as new formats such as engineered protein scaffolds.
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Innovators in Protein Therapy
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Nanocarriers allow therapeutic agents such as proteins to be selectively targeted in an organ, tissue and cell level, minimizing exposure of healthy tissue to drugs.The objective is to enhance the therapeutic potential of drugs so that they are less toxic and more effective. Nanocarriers are also able to cross the blood-brain barrier, a tightly packed layer of endothelial cells surrounding the brain that
The discovery of nano-scaled carriers such as nano-particles has revolutionized the world of drug delivery. With the advances in protein engineering and using approaches such as nano-scale targeting, there is hope to cancer and brain disease patients.
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prevents complex molecules such as proteins from entering the brain. This has provided a tremendous advantage for drug delivery systems across the blood-brain barrier, which can lead the way for effective treatments of many central nervous system disorders.
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Nanocarriers
CAS9 Proteins
"THIS PROTEIN COULD CHANGE BIOTECH FOREVER" - Matthew Herner, Forbes
It has been proven to be an efficient gene-editing tool for genome modification of cells and organisms. Cas9 is allowing scientists to study genetics in a way that was never possible. For example, CAs9 will allow researchers to compare cells that are genetically identical except for single, specific changes. “We’ve come to view the Cas9 complex as the ultimate ‘guided missile’ that we can use to target precise sites in the genome,” says co-senior author Feng Zhang, the W.M. Keck Assistant Professor of Medical Engineering in MIT’s departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Biological Engineering.
Very recently, researchers from China reported successful application of Cas9 in monkeys. They injected Cas9 into money embryos and impregnated female monkeys with the resulting eggs. Astonishingly, the new
Scientists are studying a protein that could change biotech forever. The protein is called Cas9, first discovered in bacteria in 1987. Scientists are studying its ability to program a stand of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) to target specific Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences and precisely cut and paste, and turn on and off genes.
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Monkeys in China were genetically modified using CAS9 innovation.
Monkeys in China were genetically modified using CAS9 innovation.
born monkeys had deletions in the targeted gene of interest. This experiment showed the ability to target genes at a very high degree of specificity and could potentially lead to therapies that will prevent individuals from developing genetic diseases. While scientists are studying the Cas9 are still in its early stage, major breakthroughs have been made recently, giving hope that one day bacteria and other microbes can be genetically engineered to perform valuable goods and services. Cells from eukaryotic organisms can be modified for research or fight disease. Scientists, however, are aware of the dangers of manipulating the human genome.
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There is new research that shows how a protein in the brain regulates food intake and body weight. This new discovery opens new doors in finding a treatment for obesity. The research showed that the protein alpha2/delta-1 assisted in the function of a protein call brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Researchers found that low levels of BDNF were linked to reduced function of the protein alpha2/delta-1 in hypothalamus, an area of the brain that plays a big role in regulating weight and food intake. Researchers found that by suppressing the alpha2/delta-1 protein, there was greater food consumption by the subject. Once the protein was brought back to normal and BDNF levels were reduced, the subject ate less and the blood sugar levels also returned to normal.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). A protein that seems to be related to obesity.
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Researchers concluded that “low levels of the BDNF protein in the brain lead to overeating and dramatic obesity in mice. Deficiencies in BDNF have also been linked to obesity in humans.” The researchers stated that by discovering that alpha2/delta-1 protein is necessary for normal BDNF function gives them a potential new target for obesity treatment. The next step is to have a drug that inhibits the alpha2/delta-1 protein in the hypothalamus. That discovery may lead to new treatments for obesity.