Disc1-binding Peptides and the Use Thereof for the Treatment and Diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorders (mdd), and Bipolar Disorders (bd), and Autism and Other Chronic Mental Disorders (cmds)

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent discloses novel peptides that specifically bind to the human DISC1 protein and its clinically relevant mutant forms, which are implicated in chronic mental disorders such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and autism. These peptides were identified via phage display and are designed for both diagnostic and therapeutic use: to detect DISC1 abnormalities in biological samples, and as new therapeutic agents for these mental disorders by selectively binding the disease-associated forms of DISC1.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Use in diagnostic assays to detect the presence of mutated or aggregated DISC1 protein in blood or cerebrospinal fluid of patients suspected to have schizophrenia, MDD, BD, autism, or related chronic mental disorders.
• Therapeutic application as peptide drugs to target and modulate aberrant DISC1 function, potentially treating or slowing the progression of mental disorders linked to DISC1 protein abnormalities.
• Development of imaging agents (e.g., with fluorescent or radioactive labels) for brain imaging to diagnose or monitor disease progression based on DISC1 aggregation.
• Biochemical research tools for isolating or studying DISC1 and its mutant forms in basic and clinical research.
• Personalized medicine approaches, enabling therapy selection for patients based on the presence of DISC1 mutations detected by these peptides.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Highly specific binding to DISC1, including mutant forms linked to disease, allowing for more accuracy in diagnosis and targeted therapy.
• Potential to enable earlier and more precise diagnosis of schizophrenia, MDD, BD, and autism via detection of disease-associated DISC1 protein in biological samples.
• Can serve as a new class of therapeutics targeting an underlying biological mechanism, instead of merely managing symptoms.
• Reduced risk of off-target effects due to high specificity of peptide-protein interaction.
• Can be used in both monomeric and aggregated/oligomeric states of DISC1, covering various disease mechanisms.
• Amenable to modifications (e.g., labels, drug conjugates, multiple copies) to enhance diagnostic or therapeutic performance.
• May lead to development of personalized treatment protocols based on an individual's DISC1 protein status.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, and/or SEQ ID NO: 12, and homologues, fragments and portions thereof.