Abstract

This short review outlines the scientific progression from the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide as a neuroprotective agent that acts through glial cells to increase and modulate the synthesis and secretion of novel neuroprotective substances. Recent development in the studies on activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) and activitydependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF) and short peptide derivatives of these proteins, ADNF-9 and NAP suggest that these peptides are neurotrophic and promote neurite outgrowth. These short peptides hold promise in future neuroprotective/ neurotrophic drug development. Clinical development of NAP is currently in progress by Allon Therapeutics, Inc.

Keywords: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), ADNF-9, neuroprotective, expression