12/1/95

Mitch Emmons (emmonmb@mail.auburn.edu)

AU PHARMACY RESEARCHER WORKING TO IMPROVE PEPTIDE DRUGS

AUBURN -- A researcher in Auburn University's School of Pharmacy is working on developing more stable peptide drugs, such as insulin, and more efficient ways for administering them.

Udaya Kompella, an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacal Sciences, is trying to overcome the problems with existing peptide drugs that decrease their effectiveness and longevity after being administered.

Peptides are made of amino acids that occur naturally in the human body. They, along with proteins, regulate blood sugar, hormone production and affect cell growth.

Peptide drugs, like insulin, are commonly used to treat diabetes. Others, Kompella adds, are used to combat certain types of cancers and to thwart viral disorders.

"Some are useful as a preventive therapy for certain types of breast cancer and to treat fibroids and endometriosis in women," he said.

"There are hundreds of available peptide drugs," Kompella says. "They are based on existing proteins found in the human body, and they have a specific function. But they have inherent problems in that they are broken down and used up quickly after being administered, and the body tends to eliminate them quickly -- within about 10 minutes in several cases -- once they enter the bloodstream."

Kompella is attempting to develop peptide drugs using similar combinations of molecules found in the body's naturally produced peptides and to administer the drug in ways that minimize the breakdown process.

One of the administration methods Kompella is working to improve is the formulation of a nasal spray that contains a longer-lasting formulation of the drug than those now available.

"Nasal delivery is suitable and already widely used, because the enzyme activity is lower in the nose than say, for the oral route," Kompella said. "Also, it appears that the nasal route is more permeable compared to others."

But Kompella says nasal delivery still is not as effective as desired.

"The goal is to have most of the drug going into the system and to keep it there," he said.

dec95:AU-peptides

CONTACT: Kompella, 334/844-4037.