G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a key role in signal transduction and human pathophysiological processes. Family B GPCRs are activated by a number of secreted peptide hormones, and engineering of these peptide ligands in order to improve stability and half-life, and therefore clinical efficacy has proven successful for drug discovery. In this chapter we discuss a novel peptide engineering strategy that combines peptide side chain stapling with covalent incorporation of a serum protein binding motif in a single step. The application of this approach to the enhancement of the helicity and stability of GLP-1R peptide agonists, resulting in their improved in vitro potencies, in vivo half-lives and ultimately efficacies, will be described. Discussion of the stapling technology and target selection rationale, peptide engineering and final biological characterization of the long-acting agonists will also be provided.
Keywords: Diabetes; Exenatide; GLP-1; GPCR; Lipid-drug conjugate; Long-acting; Obesity; Peptide stapling; Prolonged half-life; Serum protein binding.
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