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products
Safe and Effective in Humans.
The ANP family of peptides consists of 4 natriuretic peptides produced by the
heart that have well-known physiological effects such as salt excretion, diuresis,
and vasodilation. Because of these antihypertensive effects, they were first used
in humans as a treatment for congestive heart failure. These peptides are commonly
administered intravenously and have produced no known serious adverse effects.
New Mechanism for the Treatment of Cancer.
KT-220, our lead drug candidate from the ANP family of peptides, regulates cell growth via inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase
(MAPK) pathway. As an endogenous peptide acting through a natural mechanism, KT-220
can produce broader anti-cancer activity than small molecules without the associated
side effects. ANP peptides are designed by nature
to inhibit the MAPK pathway by controlling initiation
of the signaling cascade while synthetic drugs block only specific parts of the
pathway. Supporting the inherent anti-cancer properties of ANP is the rarity of primary
and metastatic cancers in the heart, where these peptides are at their highest concentrations.
Remarkable Anti-Cancer Activity.
KT-220 demonstrates remarkably broad anti-cancer activity. KT-220 has inhibited
the growth of pancreatic, lung, prostate, breast,
ovarian, colon, and melanoma cells in culture and of pancreatic, breast, and lung
cancer tumors in models of human cancer.
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