Institute for New Medicine

The Institute for New Medicine (INM) is a non-profit research organization founded by neuroscientists Candace Pert and Michael Ruff to advance the development of peptide-based therapeutics. The institute is best known for its work on Peptide T (DAPTA), a synthetic octapeptide that acts as a CCR5 receptor ligand and was investigated as a viral entry inhibitor for HIV/AIDS. INM's research focused on the "molecules of emotion" and the intersection of neuroscience and immunology, particularly the role of neuropeptides in health and disease. While the institute operated as a non-profit, its commercial interests were managed through R.A.P.I.D. Pharmaceuticals. Following the death of Dr. Candace Pert in 2013, the institute's activities have significantly decreased.