Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Collagen Hybridizing Peptides (CHPs) Can Monitor the Fibrotic Progression and Response to Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Introduction

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease where healthy tissue is replaced by fibrotic scar tissue, disrupting lung function and causing severe oxygen deficits. IPF is characterized by its rapid progression, and similar clinical presentation to other Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILDs), complicating its diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment with current methods. Collagen Hybridizing Peptides (CHPs), by selectively binding to degraded collagen, offer researchers the ability to actively monitor fibrotic changes in vivo. These capabilities can facilitate better understanding of IPF to enable earlier diagnoses and investigate novel therapeutics.

Monitoring Fibrosis

Most treatments for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) aim to pause or slow fibrosis, making the endpoints difficult to quantify. Collagen Hybridizing Peptides (CHPs) specifically bind to denatured collagen, a key component of fibrosis progression, allowing researchers to monitor and quantify fibrotic changes both as the disease progresses and as the disease responds to treatment.

In Vivo Applications

Collagen Hybridizing Peptides allow researchers to monitor IPF in vivo, improving the understanding of the IPF's progression and contributing to higher quality preclinical data. Additionally, where longitudinal in vivo studies typically require animal sacrifice, this is not necessary when using Collagen Hybridizing Peptides.