Our product: KAPI (KRAS and PDEδ Inhibitor)

A all new peptide which has combination effect with cisplatin to kill Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (A549).

Fig. 1: Our KAPI Mascot

Our goals:

  1. Blending Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine to fight lung cancer
  2. Providing alternative pathway for treating lung cancer, combining KAPI (a all new anticancer peptide) with Cisplatin
  3. Reducing the dosage & thus the side-effects of Cisplatin

Societal problems:

1) Impacts of lung cancer

The World Health Organization identifies lung cancer as the most common and deadliest cancer globally. Approximately 80% to 85% of lung cancer cases are Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). The projected global economic cost of lung cancer from 2020 to 2050 is USD$3.9 trillion.

Fig. 2: Impacts of lung cancer

2) Side effects of chemotherapy drugs 

In a bid to treat lung cancer, chemotherapy drugs are commonly adopted. However, they always result in severe side effects such as fatigue, vomiting, and alopecia. In severe cases, it can also cause heart failure.

Fig. 3: Side effects of chemotherapy drugs

3) Mental effects (others)

Lung cancer patient may experience fear, grief and uncertainty about their future and their illness and finally lead to mental disorder such as depression, anxiety and even suicidal thought.

Fig. 4: Mental effects of lnug cancer patients

Research focuses:

Cordyceps militaris

Studies have shown that this traditional Chinese medicine has anti-cancer effects.

Fig. 5: Cordyceps militaris

KRAS pathway

KRAS signaling is a common gene mutation in cancerous cells. We generate and produce a KAPI, an effective anticancer peptide, can stop this signaling pathway.

Fig. 6: How KAPI stops KRAS signalling

Solution:

Our team has targeted 4 naturally-exist Cordyceps militaris(CTP-ori, CTP-rds, C-ori ana C-rds) ACPs and 5 all new artificial ACPs. BL21 would be used to express those peptides and a series of cytotoxicity tests have been conducted to test the effectiveness of those peptides .