β-Hairpin protein epitope mimetic technology in drug discovery

Epitopes involved in protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions provide ideal starting points for rational structure-based inhibitor design. The process of design and optimization of epitope mimetics is now emerging as an innovative new approach in drug discovery. Although often derided as unsuitable for drug development, we provide examples to show how peptidomimetics can provide a new generation of drug candidates to tackle some of the most challenging targets in pharmaceutical research, and address some of the most pressing current threats to human health.