Peptide Therapy for Fungal Keratitis

In December 2025, researchers from the Bose Institute have developed a novel peptide-based therapy that shows strong potential for treating fungal keratitis, a serious and sight-threatening infection of the cornea.

Key Points

Novel Peptide Identified: Researchers designed a 15-residue peptide named SA-XV, derived from the host-defence peptide S100A12, and characterised it for antifungal potency and mechanism of action.
Public Health Context: Fungal keratitis is a major concern in India, particularly among agricultural workers, and is further aggravated by improper contact lens hygiene and overuse.
Limitations of Current Treatment: Amphotericin B is currently the primary drug used to treat fungal keratitis, but its clinical use is limited due to severe side effects such as kidney damage and high haemolytic activity.
Broad Antifungal Action: The peptide was found to be non-toxic, serum-stable, and effective against both planktonic and biofilm forms of fungal pathogens, including Fusarium and Candida species.
Mechanism of Action: SA-XV initially interacts with the fungal cell wall and plasma membrane, enters the cytoplasm, binds to genomic DNA in the nucleus to halt the cell cycle, and finally disrupts mitochondrial function to induce apoptosis.