Peptide News Digest

#Fibulin-4

2 stories

Research · View digest

Molecular Therapy Oncology 2026: Fibulin-4-Targeting Peptide Selectively Killed Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells in Mouse Models

A Molecular Therapy Oncology 2026 paper from a multi-institution collaboration reported that a peptide engineered against Fibulin-4 — a glycoprotein overexpressed in metastatic breast cancer extracellular matrix — successfully targeted and killed metastatic breast cancer cells in mice. The same peptide doubles as an imaging probe, supporting peptide-based detection alongside therapy. The Fibulin-4 target is significant because metastatic breast cancer remains the leading cause of breast cancer mortality and current targeted therapies (HER2, hormone-receptor) leave a substantial therapy gap for triple-negative metastatic disease. The work joins the broader peptide-drug-conjugate field in which six PDCs are in Phase 3 trials and roughly 96 are in development, even as only Lutathera holds active FDA approval after the 2024 Pepaxto withdrawal.

Research · View digest

UTHealth Houston BLMP6 Peptide Selectively Binds Fibulin-4 in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Mikhail Kolonin's group at UTHealth Houston published preclinical data showing BLMP6, a peptide identified through AI-guided modeling, selectively binds fibulin-4 — a protein highly expressed on metastatic triple-negative breast cancer cells — and not on noninvasive breast cancer or normal breast tissue. A BLMP6 conjugate carrying monomethyl auristatin E suppressed metastasis and improved survival in mouse models, and BLMP6-based fluorescent imaging probes successfully detected metastatic lesions. The paper, published in Molecular Therapy Oncology, identifies fibulin-4 as a new theranostic target.