Synthetic peptoids might fight cancer

DALLAS, April 9 (UPI) -- A U.S. study suggests creation of synthetic molecules might be a less expensive alternative to using therapeutic antibodies to battle various diseases.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center said they've developed a simple and inexpensive method to screen small synthetic molecules -- called peptoids -- using some to treat cancer and other diseases.

In one screen of more than 300,000 such molecules, researchers identified five promising candidates that mimicked an antibody already on the market for treating cancer.

"Many new drugs being made today are antibodies, but they are extremely expensive to make," said Dr. Thomas Kodadek, senior author of the study. "Our results show that a peptoid can attack a harmful receptor in the body with the same precision as an antibody, but would cost much less to develop."

Current screening techniques require extensive automation and generally cost $40,000 or more, the researchers said, while their new method can be conducted for less than $1,000.

The study appears online and in an upcoming print issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.