Advances in precision molecular imaging promise to transform our ability to detect, diagnose
and treat disease. Here, we describe the engineering and validation of a new cystine knot …

Integrin αvβ6 is a cell surface receptor minimally expressed by healthy tissue but elevated in
lung, colon, skin, ovarian, cervical, and pancreatic cancers. A molecular PET agent for …

Integrin αvβ6 is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, and its expression is often associated
with poor prognosis. Therefore, there is a need to develop affinity reagents for noninvasive …

Knottins are small constrained polypeptides that share a common disulfide-bonded
framework and a triple-stranded β-sheet fold. Previously, directed evolution of the Ecballium …

Purpose: Cystine knot (knottin) peptides, engineered to bind with high affinity to integrin
receptors, have shown promise as molecular imaging agents in living subjects. The aim of …

There is a critical need for molecular imaging agents to detect cell surface integrin receptors
that are present in human cancers. Previously, we used directed evolution to engineer …

Previously, we used directed evolution to engineer mutants of the Ecballium elaterium
trypsin inhibitor (EETI-II) knottin that bind to αvβ3 and αvβ5 integrin receptors with low …

Purpose: Detection of pancreatic cancer remains a high priority and effective diagnostic
tools are needed for clinical applications. Many cancer cells overexpress integrin αvβ6, a …

Due to the high mortality of lung cancer, there is a critical need to develop diagnostic
procedures enabling early detection of the disease while at a curable stage. Targeted …

Purpose Cystine knot peptides (knottins) 2.5 D and 2.5 F were recently engineered to bind
integrin receptors with high affinity and specificity. These receptors are overexpressed on …