PEPTIDES IN DRUG DELIVERY: Small carrier peptides as a new tool for selective drug delivery

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 01.0149

Key words (English)

Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Safety; Scientific Research; Social Aspects

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLRT-CT-2001-01451

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.2 Control of infectious diseases

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

The goal of the proposed project is the development of novel types of membrane translocating peptides acting as shuttles for a controlled cellular delivery of antimicrobial and antiviral drugs, which otherwise do not cross the membrane barrier. Starting point of this proposal are carrier peptides.

The outlined experiments shall establish a basic knowledge of the essential requirements for the internalisation of such compounds and lead to model systems in which effects of systematic variations of known carrier peptide sequences on translocation of drug cargoes across the cell membrane and their biological effects can be explored.

In a second step, we will apply our results to develop a new rationale for the selective delivery of antimicrobial and antiviral cargoes. Because of their hydrophobicity and polarity the intra- and transcellular transport of such therapeutics is particularly challenging.

In a third approach, novel antiviral drugs will be developed and new therapeutic concepts will be established. The evaluation of these concepts implicates the application of the translocation carriers.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 01.0149