Will Short Peptides Revolutionize Chelation Therapy?

It will soon be twenty years since the last chelating agent was clinically approved to used against toxic metals. Even though metal poisoning has been known humankind for centuries, only about a dozen compounds, all of which are small molecules, compose pharmaceutical toolbox expel intrinsically or essential but misregulated These compounds widely suffer from various drawbacks, most critically, poor selectivity. Can medicinal inorganic chemistry offer modern solutions these old challenges? In this perspective, opportunities and advantages harnessing short peptides chelation therapy described. While broadly aiming address metals, achievements in targeting lead (Pb) with reveal unexplored potential hidden chemical space raise possibility that may reform therapy.