Venoms to Drugs: Venom as a Source for the Development of Human Therapeutics (RSC Drug Discovery)

A volume that will provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review on the potential of peptides and proteins from animal venoms as human therapeutics. Topics covered will include: the evolution and ecology of venomous animals; the chemistry and structural biology of animal venoms; venom-based drug discovery: proteomic and transcriptomic approaches; bioassays, high-throughput screening methods and target identification; reptile, cone snail, scorpion, spider-venom peptides and exotic venoms as a platform for drug development; selected case study examples such as Prialt® and Xen2174, exenatide and ShK; the development of venom natriuretic peptides for treating congestive heart failure; engineering venom peptides to improve their stability and bioactivity and manufacturing of venom-derived therapeutic peptides, prospects and pitfalls. The readership will be pharmacologists, toxicologists, biochemists and pharmaceutical scientists working in drug development and the chemical sciences in both industry and academia.