Holding Hands: Using Peptide-Drug Conjugates (PDCs) for the Precise Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Dr. Kelly and her colleagues synthesized a panel of PDCs aiming at the precise treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, where nintedanib - a potent kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - and a peptidomimetic targeting αVβ6 integrin - which is a receptor overexpressed in fibrotic tissues - are connected by different linkers. Given the promising in vitro results of one synthesized PDC, the in vivo antifibrotic activity is currently under evaluation in mice models of pulmonary fibrosis.