Our Science
Our research focuses on the role of TGF-β in radiotherapy and its impact on normal tissue injury, particularly fibrosis, a major side effect affecting quality of life and survival.
This issue is critical in high-incidence cancers like lung and breast, where TGF-β-driven toxicities, such as lung fibrosis and radiation-induced pneumonitis, are dose-limiting and impact treatment outcomes.
Currently, no effective pharmacological solutions exist to prevent radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF), and our work aims to harness the unique benefits of peptides to fill this gap.
Peptide-based therapies offer unique advantages as drug candidates:
- High Selectivity: Peptides act specifically on intended targets, reducing off-target effects.
- Low Toxicity: Limited risk of toxicity with fewer side effects.
- High Potency: Strong therapeutic effects even at low concentrations.
- Favorable Safety Profiles: Minimal drug-to-drug interactions and tailored binding affinities.
- High Approval Rates: Peptides have a 20% regulatory approval rate, double that of small molecule drugs.
- Smaller Molecular Size: Compared to proteins, peptides are easier to administer and offer additional therapeutic benefits.
