Cyclic Peptides in Modern Drug Discovery: Trends and Therapeutic Directions
- 1ACS International Pvt. Ltd. , ,
- 2CAS, A Division of the American Chemical Society , , ,
Abstract
Peptide therapeutics are an important drug modality due to their high specificity, favorable safety, and expanding design potential. Among them, cyclic peptides occupy a space between small molecules and biologics, offering improved rigidity, stability, and target engagement. This report analyzes trends in cyclic peptide research using data from the CAS Content Collection over the past two decades. Results show a steady rise in academic publications and patents, reflecting growing interest across discovery and development. Notably, oral administration is gaining attention, indicating progress toward addressing long-standing bioavailability challenges. Beyond delivery, we examine how peptide and cyclization types, along with specific chemical modifications, relate to administration routes, therapeutic indications, and molecular targets. We also assess physicochemical properties to understand how molecular features influence developability. Together, these insights provide a comprehensive view of the evolving cyclic peptide landscape and emerging principles guiding their future development.
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BibTeX
@article{thite2026cyclic,
title = {{Cyclic Peptides in Modern Drug Discovery: Trends and Therapeutic Directions}},
author = {Trupti Thite and Kavita A. Iyer and Preeti Jain and Janet M. Sasso and Rumiana Tenchov and Sudarshan Murmu and Mahaveer Surendranath and Ankush Maind and Umesh Balande and Qiongqiong Angela Zhou},
journal = {Journal of Medicinal Chemistry},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6c01522},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6c01522},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Cyclic Peptides in Modern Drug Discovery: Trends and Therapeutic Directions
AU - Trupti Thite
AU - Kavita A. Iyer
AU - Preeti Jain
AU - Janet M. Sasso
AU - Rumiana Tenchov
AU - Sudarshan Murmu
AU - Mahaveer Surendranath
AU - Ankush Maind
AU - Umesh Balande
AU - Qiongqiong Angela Zhou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/21
JO - Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
DO - 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6c01522
UR - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6c01522
AB - Peptide therapeutics are an important drug modality due to their high specificity, favorable safety, and expanding design potential. Among them, cyclic peptides occupy a space between small molecules and biologics, offering improved rigidity, stability, and target engagement. This report analyzes trends in cyclic peptide research using data from the CAS Content Collection over the past two decades. Results show a steady rise in academic publications and patents, reflecting growing interest across discovery and development. Notably, oral administration is gaining attention, indicating progress toward addressing long-standing bioavailability challenges. Beyond delivery, we examine how peptide and cyclization types, along with specific chemical modifications, relate to administration routes, therapeutic indications, and molecular targets. We also assess physicochemical properties to understand how molecular features influence developability. Together, these insights provide a comprehensive view of the evolving cyclic peptide landscape and emerging principles guiding their future development.
SN - 0022-2623
SN - 1520-4804
ER -