The emergence of peptides in the pharmaceutical business: From exploration to exploitation

•An overview is presented how peptides face the various steps in drug development.•Previously considered troublesome drug candidates, peptides now get to the market.•The concept ‘natural peptides as/for drugs’ optimised through evolution is discussed.•We review the traits peptides exhibit to be used in medicine.•The current status of peptides on the pharma market is illustrated.

This minireview touches upon the challenges and opportunities peptides experience on the track to become an approved pharmaceutical.Peptide attributes originally considered troublesome with respect to drug development may now turn out to be more convenient rather than unfavourable.Besides characteristic high target affinity, biological peptides often exhibit higher than expected stability. Clearly natural selective pressure has optimised these biomolecules beyond what can be anticipated solely on the basis of their chemical nature. This concept is gradually finding its way into the pharma and biotech industry, as illustrated by a rise in medicinal peptide patent applications and developmental work.

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