Peptide therapeutics have been a topic of interest since long back. However, development of peptide therapeutics was put on hold during 1980s, primarily due to the fact that the only mode of delivery of peptide therapeutics was injection. This factor seriously limited the market potential of peptide therapeutics. Development of therapeutic peptides gained a momentum again in 1990s after recombinant proteins were launched in the market. The same drawback of peptides was experienced by proteins, but it increased the pace of research for more convenient delivery forms/technology. This research also benefited peptide delivery and peptides as therapeutics again gained momentum in pharma and biotechnology R&D space. More recent technologies such as controlled-release or nasal/inhaled delivery system for peptides have made these drug forms more palatable to patients.

Growing cost of pharmaceutical R&D coupled with decline in number of approved drugs has created an urgent demand for alternative approaches to accelerate R&D activities in last couple of decades. The situation is responsible for revival of interest in peptides as a therapeutic candidates. On a background of patent expiry of blockbuster drugs in last decade and declining clinical success rate, pharmaceutical companies are experiencing a big challenge of shrinking pipeline productivity. To remain profitable in the highly competitive market, pharma companies are identifying opportunities in drug development. Peptides are a unique class of drugs that possess biological and therapeutic properties of small molecules and proteins, yet distinguished from both of them on molecular level. Today peptide therapeutics are thus becoming an important part of pipeline for all big pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies.

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