RDC Peptides

RDC peptides serve as tumor-targeting vectors in radionuclide-drug conjugates (RDCs), directing diagnostic or therapeutic radionuclides to disease-associated receptors while enabling localized radiation delivery and molecular imaging^[1][2]. Mechanistically, peptide-based RDCs bind membrane targets with high specificity and concentrate radioactive payloads at tumor sites, where emitted α-, β-, or Auger-particle radiation induces localized biological damage and can generate cross-fire effects within tumor tissue^[1][3]. This targeting strategy is highly relevant to oncology because RDCs integrate receptor-directed delivery with radionuclide therapy, supporting both tumor visualization and therapeutic intervention in a single platform^[1][2]. Peptide ligands represent a distinct RDC targeting class alongside monoclonal antibodies and small molecules, offering a compact molecular format that is widely used in radiotheranostic design^[2][4]. A clinically established example is lutetium (^177Lu) dotatate, a radiolabeled somatostatin analog peptide that targets somatostatin receptor-expressing tumors and demonstrates the feasibility of peptide-mediated radionuclide delivery in cancer management^[5]. Therefore, RDC peptide design focuses on receptor recognition, stable radionuclide attachment through chelator-based chemistry, and efficient tumor accumulation, making peptide-based RDCs important tools for translational radiopharmaceutical research and precision oncology development^[1][2].