FUJIFILM Corporation announced that it has developed an innovative screening methodology for cyclic peptides exhibiting high affinity toward membrane proteins^[1]. This new technology enables Fujifilm to offer cyclic peptide discovery services targeting challenging membrane proteins, including multi-pass transmembrane proteins^[2], which represent complex drug targets. The results of this study are scheduled to be presented at TIDES USA, an exhibition from May 11 to 14, 2026, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
 

Exhibition Information:
Venue: Hynes Convention Center, Boston
Poster Number: #129
Access: Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
Dates: May 11 – May 14, 2026
TIDES USA: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics

Cyclic peptides, including those containing unnatural amino acids, are emerging as a promising new modality in drug discovery due to unique characteristics such as high affinity, tissue permeability, and synthetic versatility. Since 2023, Fujifilm has been providing peptide discovery services utilizing its proprietary mRNA display technology. However, previous screening approaches required the isolation and purification of drug target proteins. Some targets, such as multi-pass transmembrane proteins, often lose their native three-dimensional structures during isolation, posing a significant limitation to obtaining sufficient screening outcomes. Furthermore, using live cells that express multi-pass transmembrane proteins on their surface for peptide discovery can pose challenges because mRNA tags in libraries are prone to degradation in cell culture media under previous methods.

To overcome these challenges, Fujifilm has designed a novel peptide library in which mRNA tags are resistant to degradation in cell culture media, enabling direct screening of peptides binding to targets’ multi-pass transmembrane proteins expressed on the surface of living cells. Using this approach, Fujifilm successfully identified peptides that specifically bind to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)^[3], a class of multi-pass transmembrane proteins, exclusively on the target-expressing cell lines. This newly developed screening technology is expected to significantly expand the possibilities for targeting membrane proteins that have thus far been challenging for peptide discovery, thereby supporting customers’ diverse needs in drug discovery research.

Fujifilm is expanding its drug discovery services for peptide therapeutics globally, providing a wide range of contract research services focusing on peptide discovery, high-throughput screening, and structural optimization. Fujifilm’s one-stop comprehensive service includes peptide chemical synthesis and target protein expression and purification to meet diverse research demands. Fujifilm is committed to driving research and development that fosters technological innovation in the healthcare field by leveraging the ability of cyclic peptides to regulate cellular functions and their specific molecular recognition capabilities to contribute to the advancement of pharmaceutical development of peptide therapeutics.