Protein-protein interactions play a key role in most biological processes, and offer attractive opportunities for therapeutic intervention. However, it is very difficult to develop small molecules able to selectively modulate protein-protein interactions. In collaboration with Prof. John Robinson at the University of Zurich, Polyphor has developed Protein Epitope Mimetics (PEM) Technology. PEM are medium-size, cyclic peptide-like molecules (MW l-2kDa) mimicking beta-hairpin secondary structures of proteins. PEM are designed by variation of loop size, building blocks and templates (Fig. 1 right). The templates stabilize the 8-hairpin conformation, facilitate the synthesis and add new pharmacological properties.
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