CPHPC is a proline

Proline

Proline is an α-amino acid, one of the twenty DNA-encoded amino acids. Its codons are CCU, CCC, CCA, and CCG. It is not an essential amino acid, which means that the human body can synthesize it. It is unique among the 20 protein-forming amino acids in that the α-amino group is secondary...

-derived small molecule able to strip amyloid P (AP) from deposits by reducing levels of circulating serum amyloid P

Serum Amyloid P component

Amyloid P component, serum is the identical serum form of amyloid P component , a 25kDa pentameric protein first identified as the pentagonal constituent of in vivo pathological deposits called "amyloid"...

 (SAP). The SAP-amyloid association has also been identified as a possible drug target for anti-amyloid therapy, with the recent development and first stage clinical trials of CPHPC for amyloidosis

Amyloidosis

In medicine, amyloidosis refers to a variety of conditions whereby the body produces "bad proteins", denoted as amyloid proteins, which are abnormally deposited in organs and/or tissues and cause harm. A protein is described as being amyloid if, due to an alteration in its secondary structure, it...

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CPHPC has also been patented for possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...

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Mechanism

The symmetrical nature of CPHPC allows it to bind to two molecules of AP (the SAP subunits). This allows five molecules of CPHPC to bind two SAP pentamers together by the B/binding face blocking the binding on to existing amyloid deposits.