The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) regulatory approval of a total of 26 NME (New Molecular Entity) drugs in the first half of 2023. It is worth noting that the 26 drugs approved include 4 peptide drugs, accounting for 15% of the total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the past 2022, the FDA has approved only three peptide drugs: Tirzepatide<\/a>, Lutetium 177Lu Vipivotide Tetraxetan and Terlipressin<\/a>, of which terlipressin was previously available outside the United States as Glypressin\u00ae. There is also literature that classifies Gadopiclenol approved in 2022 as a peptide drug, but this classification is not rigorous. Gadopiclenol contains only an amide bond, but it is not a condensation of two amino acids and should not be considered a peptide.<\/p>\n\n\n Trofinetide is a novel synthetic analog of glypromate, also known as glycine-proline-glutamate (GPE). GPE is an N-terminal tripeptide of a naturally occurring protein and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the brain. Compared with the proline C\u03b1 of GPE, trofinetide has one more methyl group.<\/p>\n\n\n Trofinetide (DaybueTM<\/sup>), developed by Acadia, is a peptide drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of Rett syndrome on March 10, 2023, making it the first FDA-approved Rett syndrome drug in history. Syndrome drugs. Rett syndrome is a rare disease with a spectrum of cognitive, motor, and autonomic symptoms. It is a complex, rare neurodevelopmental disorder usually caused by genetic mutations in the MECP2 gene. It is characterized by a period of normal development before 6 to 18 months of age, followed by significant developmental regression, with loss of acquired communication skills and use of the hands. Symptoms of Rett syndrome may also include hand rigidity, such as wringing and clapping, and abnormal gait. In the United States, Rett syndrome affects 6,000 to 9,000 patients, of whom approximately 4,500 have been diagnosed. The approval of Trofinetide is undoubtedly a milestone event in the history of human struggle against Rett syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most cases of Rett syndrome are associated with loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2). MECP2 is a DNA-binding protein that plays a role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. These mutations lead to immature synapses in the cerebral cortex, abnormal metabolism of cholesterol in the brain leading to abnormal neuronal development, and abnormal neuronal signaling. Rett syndrome is more common in girls than boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exact mechanism of action of Trofinetide in Rett syndrome has not been fully elucidated. In mouse studies, GPE peptides improved exercise and cardiorespiratory function, increased brain weight, and extended the lifespan of MECP2-deficient mice. As a synthetic analogue of GPE, trofinetide similarly attenuates apoptosis and reduces infarct size in a dose-dependent manner in a rat model of hypoxic injury. Trofinetide plays a multifaceted role in reducing inflammation, excitotoxic-induced tissue damage and apoptosis, thereby protecting neurons and their surrounding underlying tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New Echinocandin Peptide Drugs<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On March 22, 2023, the FDA approved Cidara and Melinta’s RezzayoTM<\/sup> (rezafungin for injection) for the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis in patients 18 years of age or older. Rezafungin is a new generation of broad-spectrum, long-acting echinocandin. Rezafungin has shown effective antifungal activity against Candida, Aspergillus and pneumospora sp. Rezafungin also became the first new echinocandin to receive FDA approval in more than a decade. Unlike other echinocinins such as caspofungin<\/a> and micafungin<\/a>, rezafungin has long-acting pharmacokinetics and high stability, allowing it to be administered at long intervals and maintain high plasma exposure. Rezafungin has a half-life of more than 130 hours and can be administered once a week instead of daily.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a>Trofinetide<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Rezafungin<\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n