Peptide Science Utah

Peptide Science Utah: A Comprehensive Overview of Research, Industry, and Innovation

Peptide Science Utah has emerged as an unlikely but formidable hub for peptide science, combining world-class academic research with a growing ecosystem of biotechnology companies that are translating fundamental discoveries into therapeutic innovations. From the laboratories of the University of Utah to the headquarters of pioneering biotech startups in Salt Lake City and beyond, the Beehive State is making significant contributions to the advancement of peptide-based medicine. This article explores the multifaceted landscape of Peptide Science Utah, examining the key institutions, companies, and breakthroughs that position the state as a rising power in this rapidly evolving field.

Academic Research and Institutional Leadership

The University of Utah: A Powerhouse of Peptide Discovery

The University of Utah stands at the center of the state’s peptide science ecosystem, housing several research groups that are pushing the boundaries of peptide chemistry, enzymology, and therapeutic development.

The Bandarian Lab and the PapB Enzyme Breakthrough

Perhaps the most significant recent development in Peptide Science Utah comes from the laboratory of Professor Vahe Bandarian. Chemistry researchers at the University of Utah have uncovered an enzyme, dubbed PapB, that can “tie off” therapeutic peptides—protein-like drugs—into tight rings through a process known as macrocyclization. This enzymatic trick could help drug developers create stronger, longer-lasting versions of GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide—the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy—used to treat diabetes and obesity.

Forming cyclic peptides is an important step in drug design because these ring structures make drugs more stable, last longer in the body, and improve their performance on biological targets. Traditional chemical methods for closing peptide rings are expensive and difficult to complete late in drug development. The newly discovered enzyme offers a simpler, cleaner alternative that naturally forms a precise chemical bond that closes the peptide chain into a ring without the extra “leader” sequences that most enzymes require.

The research, published in ACS Bio & Med Chem Au, describes how the team used a “radical SAM” (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) enzyme called PapB to connect the ends of GLP-1–like peptides through a sulfur-carbon bond known as thioether. Laboratory tests confirmed the formation of these rings even when the peptides included nonstandard building blocks found in many modern incretin drugs. “We were surprised by how flexible the enzyme turned out to be,” said Jake Pedigo, lead author of the paper and a graduate student in the Bandarian lab. “It didn’t need the usual leader sequence, and it still worked even when we swapped in unusual amino acids. That combination of precision and adaptability makes PapB a practical tool for peptide engineering“.

The Roberts Laboratory: Peptide Cyclization and Therapeutic Design

Research in the laboratory of Professor Andrew G. Roberts at the University of Utah is focused on the design and chemical synthesis of peptide- and protein-based therapeutics. The Roberts group draws inspiration from the unique structural elements and functions present in ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). The group has developed innovative methods for peptide cyclization, including a site-selective oxidation method utilizing TAD peptide intermediates.

Peptides as therapeutics face significant challenges due to poor bioavailability and susceptibility to proteolytic degradation. Modifying bioactive peptides through residue modification, cyclization, and polycyclization are proven strategies to address these issues. The Roberts group’s research on lasso peptides—an awe-inspiring class of threaded cyclic peptide natural products that exhibit diverse biological activities—has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The Kay Laboratory: Mirror-Image Peptides

The laboratory of Professor Michael S. Kay focuses on mirror-image peptides and proteins, which have great therapeutic potential because of their resistance to proteolysis. The lab’s primary biological interest is developing D-peptide inhibitors against infectious diseases, particularly for the prevention and treatment of HIV and antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, though they are now expanding into diverse therapeutic areas including cancer.

The Moreira Laboratory: New Frontiers in Peptide Natural Products

Ryan Moreira joined the University of Utah Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor in 2026. His laboratory aims to uncover the structure–function relationships that govern the activity of peptide natural products, with the goal of accelerating the discovery and rational design of new bioactive peptides. The Moreira Lab focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of RiPP virulence factors at atomic resolution, developing chemical strategies for the modification and engineering of peptides, and accelerating the discovery of bioactive peptides through structure–activity-guided genome mining.

Utah State University: Lytic Peptides and Synthetic Bio-Manufacturing

Researchers at Utah State University have evaluated, developed, synthesized, and characterized several synthetic chemotherapeutic peptides referred to as “lytic peptides”. These peptides have shown effectiveness against a number of disease states that are currently very difficult or impossible to treat with conventional therapy.

Utah State University also houses the Synthetic Bio-Manufacturing Center (SBC), which provides research opportunities and infrastructure for peptide and biomanufacturing research. The center represents Utah’s commitment to building the manufacturing infrastructure necessary to support the growing peptide industry.

Biotechnology Companies: From Discovery to Commercialization

Utah’s peptide science ecosystem extends well beyond academia, with a growing number of biotechnology companies translating university discoveries into therapeutic innovations.

Sethera Therapeutics: The Flagship Spinout

Sethera Therapeutics, founded in 2024, is a biotechnology company headquartered in Salt Lake City that exemplifies the power of academic innovation translated into commercial success. The company was co-founded by Karsten Eastman and Vahe Bandarian, two experts whose collaboration is driving a new era in peptide-based medicine. Eastman, now serving as CEO, earned his PhD in chemistry from the University of Utah, where he specialized in enzyme and peptide research under the mentorship of Bandarian, who serves as Chief Science Officer.

Sethera’s PolyMacrocyclic Peptide (pMCP) Discovery Platform is designed to engage multiple targets at once, allowing company partners to create extensive libraries of constrained macrocyclic and polymacrocyclic peptides. The platform integrates AI, mRNA display, and phage display technologies.

The company has been able to bioengineer peptides to become highly stable through enzymatic modification, addressing their natural tendency to degrade quickly. This innovation has enabled several major advancements in peptide-based medicine, including unlocking treatments for “undruggable” diseases and potentially enabling oral peptide medications. As Bandarian stated, “The exciting thing about our technology is that it isn’t limited to a single disease—it has the potential to improve virtually any peptide-based therapeutic”.

Sethera’s efforts were honored by the University of Utah’s Technology Licensing Office, which named Eastman and Bandarian the 2025 Founders of the Year. The company has raised $1.95 million in early-stage venture capital funding.

3Helix: Collagen Hybridizing Peptides

3Helix Inc. is a biotechnology company headquartered in Salt Lake City, founded in 2015. The company specializes in Collagen Hybridizing Peptides (CHPs)—proprietary short peptides that selectively target and bind to damaged or denatured collagen by exploiting differences in 3D structure from healthy collagen.

3Helix develops and markets labeled CHP conjugates for life science research tools, enabling applications in diagnostics, histopathology, pathology, biomechanics, cell biology, and regenerative medicine to study collagen remodeling in diseases like fibrosis, inflammation, aging, and wound healing. In therapeutics, the company advances bioACTIVE CHPs to modulate collagen-driven processes for potential treatments.

For the cosmetics sector, 3Helix partnered with BASF in 2023 through an equity investment and licensing deal, granting BASF exclusive rights to commercialize CHP solutions in personal care, including anti-aging products.

Echelon Biosciences: A Global Reagent Leader

Echelon Biosciences, launched in 1997 by two University of Utah professors, has grown into a global leader in biochemical reagents, assays, and peptides for academic research and pharmaceutical development. The company spans the gap between synthetic lipid chemistry and signal transduction to produce reagents, lipid tools, peptides, and assays for the exploration of cell and molecular biology.

In 2014, Echelon acquired California Peptide Research, Inc. (CPRI) to broaden its line of biochemicals and research peptides, further driving innovations in the growing peptide research and development markets.

Allosterix Pharmaceuticals: Artificial Peptides and Small Proteins

Based in Lehi, Utah, Allosterix Pharmaceuticals specializes in the design and early stage development of artificial peptides and small proteins for biomedical applications. Founded in 2005, the company has received funding from the National Science Foundation.

Synthetic Biodesign: Cyclic Peptides for Autoimmune Diseases

Synthetic Biodesign, headquartered in Provo, Utah, is developing methods for in vivo production of more potent trunkamide analogs and related cyclic peptides. The company focuses on cyclopeptides for autoimmune disease indications, including the development of oral cyclic peptides as alternatives to injectable antibody therapies, and on peptide–drug conjugates for the treatment of solid tumors.

E-Star BioTech: Peptide Therapies

E-Star BioTech, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, is another emerging player in Utah’s peptide therapeutics landscape.

Clinical Applications and Peptide Therapy

Beyond research and drug development, Utah has seen growing interest in the clinical application of peptide therapies. Several clinics across the state offer peptide therapy for various health and wellness applications. EVEXIAS Health Solutions provides peptide therapies tailored to specific health needs, including enhancing hormone receptor sensitivity, supporting adrenal function, improving metabolic health, and accelerating tissue repair.

The Re/ Clinic in Sandy, Utah, provides consultations for patients interested in regenerative medicine and peptide therapy. Other providers such as Modern SLC Wellness, Revive Wellness & Aesthetics, and FocusMD offer peptide therapy programs addressing concerns ranging from aging to immunity improvement.

The legality of peptides in Utah depends on their regulatory status and how they are sourced. Patients are advised to verify licensure and choose clinics staffed by licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants experienced in peptide therapy.

Manufacturing Infrastructure

Utah’s peptide science ecosystem is supported by a growing manufacturing infrastructure. The state is home to the Utah Research Lab in Lehi, a trusted provider of research compounds including peptides and GLP-related materials serving laboratories and research professionals across Utah and nationwide.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has opened a new single-use technology manufacturing site in Ogden, Utah—a 55,000-square-foot facility that manufactures highly customizable bioprocess container systems. Additionally, Armada has established a 438,000-square-foot facility in Utah organized around vertical manufacturing.

Conclusion

Utah has established itself as a significant and growing hub for peptide science, with strengths spanning academic research, biotechnology innovation, and clinical applications. The University of Utah’s groundbreaking research on the PapB enzyme and macrocyclization represents a major advance in peptide drug development, offering a simpler, more versatile method to create stable, drug-like molecules.

The state’s biotechnology ecosystem—anchored by companies like Sethera Therapeutics, 3Helix, and Echelon Biosciences—is translating academic discoveries into commercial innovations that have the potential to treat previously “undruggable” diseases and improve patient outcomes. As the field of peptide science continues to evolve, Utah’s combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, and growing manufacturing infrastructure positions it well to remain at the forefront of this important area of biomedical research and development.