**Summary:**
This policy focuses on the potential of neurotrophin peptidomimetic drugs as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. Neurotrophins, while crucial for neuronal survival, face challenges related to instability and degradation. Neurotrophin peptidomimetics, synthetic molecules mimicking natural proteins, offer improved stability, bioavailability, and target specificity, potentially overcoming these limitations. Researchers at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) are exploring these peptidomimetics, focusing on their ability to promote neuronal growth and survival. Their research aims to understand signaling pathways, identify pharmacological targets, and explore the repurposing of existing drugs. The goal is to develop peptidomimetics into a key therapeutic strategy for managing and treating neurodegenerative disorders.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Science Technology: The ministry responsible for science and technology, likely a governmental body.
Neurotrophin peptidomimetic drugs: Synthetic molecules mimicking natural proteins, offering promise for treating neurodegenerative disorders.
20 MAY 2025: Date of the press release.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - indicating the source of the press release.
NDs: Abbreviation for neurodegenerative diseases.
neurotrophins: Proteins crucial for neuronal survival and function.
Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology IASST: An autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology DST, conducting research on peptidomimetics.
Department of Science and Technology DST: The department to which IASST is affiliated.
Prof. Ashis K. Mukherjee: The lead researcher at IASST, conducting studies on neurotrophin peptidomimetics.
Journal Drug Discovery Today: The journal where the IASST researchers' work on neurotrophin peptidomimetics was published.
NKRPSM Release ID: 2129956: Release ID for the press release
Ministry of Science & Technology
Neurotrophin peptidomimetic drugs offer promise for
treating neurodegenerative disorders
Posted On: 20 MAY 2025 5:46PM by PIB Delhi
Peptidomimetic drugs – or synthetic molecules that mimic the structure of natural proteins can be repurposed
to provide an effective therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) by promoting neuronal
growth and survival.
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have been a major global health challenge. While neurotrophins, proteins
crucial for neuronal survival and function, have shown promise as potential treatments, their instability and
rapid degradation have hindered their therapeutic application.
Neurotrophin peptidomimetics are developed to target specific biological functions and can be valuable tools
in drug discovery, especially when natural peptides have limitations like poor oral bioavailability or
susceptibility to degradation.
One of the significant advantages of peptidomimetics is their improved stability and bioavailability compared
to endogenous neurotrophins. This means they can be delivered more effectively to the brain and maintain
their therapeutic activity for a longer duration. Additionally, peptidomimetics can be designed to be more
specific to their target receptors, reducing the risk of side effects.
A team of scientists at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous
institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has been exploring peptidomimetics, synthetic
compounds designed to mimic neurotrophins, as a potential solution to these limitations.
Fig: This illustration highlights that neurotrophin peptidomimetics address key limitations of endogenous
neurotrophins, offering enhanced stability, improved brain permeability, and lower immunogenicity, making
them promising candidates for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Led by Prof. Ashis K. Mukherjee, the IASST researchers have conducted extensive studies on neurotrophin
peptidomimetics. Their research, published in the Journal Drug Discovery Today focused on understanding
the signaling pathways involved in neuronal growth and survival, the potential pharmacological targets of
peptidomimetics, and their therapeutic applications for NDs.The researchers have highlighted the potential of peptidomimetics to treat NDs by promoting neuronal growth
and survival. They have also explored the possibility of repurposing existing peptidomimetic drugs for other
diseases, such as cancer, and the potential for developing new drug prototypes based on neurotrophins
mimetics.
As research progresses, the hope is that peptidomimetics could become a key therapeutic strategy, offering
new hope for managing and treating neurodegenerative disorders for future generations.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2129956)