RECENT ADVANCES IN THE USE OF POLYMERICS AS TOPICAL PROTEIN ANTAGONISTS

Monika Rousse*, Louis Dru, Alexia Ramadier, Robin Viard, Léa Shrivastava, Didier Rougeol, Sagar Singh, Nathalie Cucuat, Ravi Shrivastava, Ph.D

ABSTRACT

Proteins are associated in some way with most if not all human diseases. They are either endogenous (enzymes, proteases, hormones…) or exogenous (bacteria, viruses, fungi ...) but they play a crucial role in almost all physiological functions in the body as well as
in multiple pathologies. Modulating proteins therefore represents a major therapeutic approach. Due to unique physico-chemical properties, polymers have the specificity to bind with macromolecules, particularly with proteins without presenting undesirable effects, as polymers are inert, nearly nontoxic and usually non- irritant. In spite of these unique properties of polymers, still the research on polymeric drugs is in the enfant stage. This is largely related to the fact that multiple proteins are involved in the physio-pathology of a disease, which requires using multiple polymers to block only the pathological proteins, and also to the difficulties to patent and to register a combination drug. The inability of polymers to cross the gastro-intestinal barrier equally constitutes a huge obstacle. In the past 10-15 years, more and more pharmaceutical industries have been diverting their traditional research towards polymeric molecules as it is getting practically impossible to find new drugs based on chemical entities. The recent development of highly effective topical antivirals, chronic wound healing, and anti-cytokine drugs by the Vitrobio research institute in France suddenly elicited a tremendous interest in the use of polymers as the future drugs of the 21st century. This review summarizes the pros and cons of employing polymers as pure drugs and analyzes the results of new topical polymeric drugs.

Keywords: polymers, protein, inhibitors, antivirals, topical.