Enhance Peptide Manufacturing Using Backbone N-Protecting Groups

Solid-phase peptide synthesis is indispensable for routinely preparing linear peptides up to 40 amino acids. However, chain insolubility and aggregation continue to hamper this method, reducing synthetic yield. Deletion impurities that form are often chromatographically inseparable from the target sequence, diminishing final product purity. Join this webinar to explore how backbone protecting groups can help overcome these issues and improve peptide manufacturing outcomes.

The use of backbone N-protecting groups can ameliorate synthetic inefficiency by increasing peptide chain solubility and suppressing aggregation. Backbone protection is also helpful in promoting peptide macrocyclization, enabling C-terminal modification, suppressing common side reactions in peptide chemistry, such as aspartimide and improving solution-phase handling (which is crucial for chemical protein synthesis). Commercially available precursors containing benzyl-based groups and pseudoprolines have found widespread use in both academic laboratories and industry.

This webinar provides a comprehensive account of the state of the art in backbone protection strategies for peptide synthesis. It includes detailed synthetic methods relating to the use of backbone protection and its application to “difficult” peptides and proteins of biological significance. Capability gaps will be highlighted, and a commentary on future directions will also be provided.

Register for this webinar to learn how backbone protection can improve efficiency and product quality in peptide manufacturing.

Speakers

Dr. John A. Karas, Senior Research Fellow and Group Leader, School of Chemistry, the University of Melbourne

John Karas has extensive experience in peptide chemistry. He first worked in several peptide contract manufacturing organizations and startups before obtaining a PhD at the University of Melbourne in 2016. After several postdoctoral appointments, he commenced his independent research career in 2022 at the School of Chemistry with a fellowship from the Australian Research Council. His current research is focused on peptide synthesis methodology, insulin analog development, antimicrobial peptides and enzyme stabilization.

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Dr. Linda Haugaard-Kedström, Director QC and Development, PolyPeptide, Sweden

Linda M. Haugaard-Kedström is the Director of QC and Development at PolyPeptide, Sweden. Her career has focused extensively on peptide chemistry for over 15 years. Linda obtained a PhD in Organic Chemistry in 2011 at Linnaeus University, Sweden. She then became a Swedish Research Council Fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia, which was followed by five years at the University of Copenhagen. In 2016, Linda was promoted to Associate Professor. In 2018, she left academia for the life science industry. In 2023, she was promoted to the Director of Development and in 2025, the Director of QC and Development at PolyPeptide, Sweden. Linda’s research interests are currently focusing on process development for the manufacturing of peptide API.

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Samuel J. Paravizzini, PhD Candidate, School of Chemistry, the University of Melbourne

Sam Paravizzini completed his undergraduate at the University of Melbourne in 2017, majoring in chemistry. He then obtained his Masters in 2021 under the guidance of Prof. Uta Wille, investigating novel urease inhibitors to improve fertiliser efficiency in Australian agriculture. Currently, he is completing his PhD under Dr. John Karas, researching acid labile amide backbone protecting groups for improving the synthetic efficiency of Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis.

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