DST-516

DST-516 is a novel tumor-penetrating peptide (TPP) developed as part of a Solid Tumor-Tissue Penetrating (STTP) platform designed to enhance the delivery and deep penetration of therapeutic agents into solid tumors. By overcoming the physical and biochemical barriers of the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as dense extracellular matrix and high interstitial fluid pressure, DST-516 facilitates the transport of co-administered drugs, including small molecules and large proteins like albumin. Mechanistically, the peptide preferentially binds to neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) and integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5, which are often overexpressed on tumor vasculature and certain cancer cells. Preclinical studies, particularly in pancreatic cancer models (AsPC-1 and PANC-1), have demonstrated that DST-516 significantly improves the therapeutic efficacy of standard-of-care agents like gemcitabine and paclitaxel by increasing their concentration within the tumor core while maintaining a favorable safety profile.