Peptide News Digest

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C&EN/CAS Content Collection Feature (June 2026): Cyclic Peptide Patenting Surge: Chinese Universities Lead Global Filings, US Universities Lead Patentees Outside China, Bicycle Therapeutics and Bristol Myers Squibb Anchor Corporate Filings; Enlicitide Cited as Oral-Pill Cyclic-Peptide Milestone

A Chemical & Engineering News feature published in June 2026, drawing on data from the CAS Content Collection, documented the cyclic-peptide patenting surge over 2020 to April 2026. Chinese universities are the top filers globally on cyclic peptides. Outside China, US universities lead. Among corporates, Bicycle Therapeutics and Bristol Myers Squibb were called out for sustained patent activity covering cancer, infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune disease indications. The article frames cyclic peptides as bridging the small-molecule and biologic divide: enhanced conformational rigidity, elimination of unstable terminal residues, and improved metabolic stability are the structural advantages that allow some cyclic peptides to be dosed orally. Merck's enlicitide decanoate (MK-0616, oral PCSK9 macrocyclic peptide for hyperlipidemia) was cited as the proof point for oral-pill cyclic-peptide drug development; an enlicitide NDA submission was underway as of mid-2026. The broader market backdrop: macrocyclic and stapled peptides are projected to grow from $1.22 billion in 2024 to $4.76 billion by 2030 at a 21.44% CAGR, driven mostly by oncology pipelines and the macrocyclic deal flow that includes the Unnatural Products-Novartis $1.7-1.8B cardiovascular pact (February 2026), Biogen-Dayra $50M+ immunology pact (November 2025), and the Parabilis Helicon platform (Regeneron $2.3B collaboration, June 10 $670M record IPO).

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Science (May 7): Merck Publishes Biocatalytic Cascade Route to Enlicitide Decanoate, the Investigational Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor

Merck scientists published in Science a convergent biocatalytic synthesis of enlicitide decanoate, an investigational oral PCSK9 inhibitor and macrocyclic peptide. A tailored suite of engineered enzymes catalyzes selective peptide fragment formation, coupling, and macrocyclization in a protecting-group-free sequence; combined with chromatography-free crystallizations, the route reduces step count by more than half versus prior state-of-the-art methods. Enlicitide is in Phase 3 (CORALreef, with –55.8% LDL-C reported earlier in 2026) and would be the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor if approved. The paper matters beyond enlicitide: protein-engineering-led cascades shift the cost basis for any large macrocyclic peptide program facing peptide-CDMO bottlenecks.