New anti-tumoral approach: peptides targeting the hexokinase 2 protein

The invention consists in the design, realization and administration of peptides that display antitumoral activity. A portion of the Hexokinase 2 (HK2) protein was engineered in order to allow its specific activation inside the tumor, entry in tumor cells and induction of their death. HK2 contributes to metabolism, growth and death inhibition of tumor cells and its expression is associated with bad prognosis and chemotherapeutic/radiation resistance in diverse solid and hematopoietic tumors. In this scenario, has been developed an invention that induces specific and rapid tumor cell death in different neoplastic models by targeting HK2 without inhibiting its enzymatic activity. In addition, we have utilized a molecular design that minimizes potential side effects in HK2 expressing healthy tissues by exploiting a tumor-specific system of activation of the targeting peptides.

Applications

Treatment of benign and malignant tumors expressing HK2, Treatment of solid and hematopoietic tumors expressing HK2, Treatment of metastatic tumors expressing HK2, Treatment of drug/radiation resistant tumors that over-express HK2.