Tuning the Properties of Lanreotide via Crystal Engineering

Crystal engineering is recognized as an effective way for enhancing the properties and reducing the manufacturing costs of small molecule drugs. However, studies on the crystallization of larger cyclic peptide-based drugs remain scarce. In this context, we present our latest findings on the crystal engineering study of lanreotide (LAN), a critical Somatostatin analog and a synthetic cyclic peptide drug to treat acromegaly, GEP-NETs and more. Despite its projected market value of US$1.49 billion by 2030, LAN has certain drawbacks, including lower patient compliance and higher manufacturing costs. Therefore, our group conducted crystal engineering studies to discover new crystalline forms of LAN with enhanced physicochemical properties. We successfully isolated and characterized salts/co-crystals of LAN with p-acetamido-benzoic acid, 2-furoic acid, and benzoic acid using SCXRD. These three co-crystals, with their superior hygroscopicity and solid-state stability, offer better alternatives for drug development. Moreover, we developed crystallization techniques for LAN benzoate, enabling the direct isolation of crystalline LAN from the solid-phase peptide synthesis product, eliminating the need for ion-exchange chromatography.