Abstract: Expression systems are disclosed for the direct expression of peptide products into the culture media where genetically engineered host cells are grown. High yield was achieved with novel vectors, a special selection of hosts, and/or fermentation processes which include careful control of cell growth rate, and use of an inducer during growth phase. Special vectors are provided which include control regions having multiple promoters linked operably with coding regions encoding a signal peptide upstream from a coding region encoding the peptide of interest. Multiple transcription cassettes are also used to increase yield. The production of amidated peptides using the expression systems is also disclosed.

Abstract: Bioavailability of peptide active agents to be administered orally is enhanced by a pharmaceutical composition providing targeted release of the peptide to the intestine in addition to having the active peptide linked to a membrane translocator which is capable of being at least partially cleaved in vivo by an enzyme. The composition includes an acid-resistant protective vehicle which transports components of the invention through the stomach and a sufficient amount of a pH-lowering agent to lower local intestinal pH. All components are released together into the intestine with the peptide.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for oral delivery of a peptide is in the form of a lamination having at least two layers. The first layer of the lamination includes at least one pharmaceutically acceptable pH-lowering agent. The second layer includes a therapeutically effective amount of the peptide. The composition also includes at least one absorption enhancer effective to promote bioavailability of the peptide, which is preferably in the second layer, and an enteric coating surrounding the lamination. In a preferred dosage form of a tablet, a water-soluble coating is applied between the lamination and enteric coating which substantially prevents contact between the pH-lowering agent and the enteric coating. In a preferred embodiment, the peptide is salmon calcitonin, the pH-lowering agent is citric acid, and the absorption enhancer is lauroyl l-carnitine.

Abstract: A liquid pharmaceutical composition is disclosed comprising calcitonin or an acid addition salt thereof and citric acid or salt thereof in a concentration from about to about 50 mM, said composition being in a form table for nasal administration.

Abstract: Expression systems are disclosed for the direct expression of peptide products into the culture media where genetically engineered host cells are grown. High yield was achieved with novel vectors, a special selection of hosts, and/or fermentation processes which include careful control of cell growth rate, and use of an inducer during growth phase. Special vectors are provided which include control regions having multiple promoters linked operably with coding regions encoding a signal peptide upstream from a coding region encoding the peptide of interest. Multiple transcription cassettes are also used to increase yield. The production of amidated peptides using the expression systems is also disclosed.

Abstract: Expression systems are disclosed for the direct expression of peptide products into the culture media where genetically engineered host cells are grown. High yield was achieved with novel vectors, a special selection of hosts, and/or fermentation processes which include careful control of cell growth rate, and use of an inducer during growth phase. Special vectors are provided which include control regions having multiple promoters linked operably with coding regions encoding a signal peptide upstream from a coding region encoding the peptide of interest. Multiple transcription cassettes are also used to increase yield. The production of amidated peptides using the expression systems is also disclosed.

Abstract: Purified enzymatic compositions are provided having alpha-amidating enzymes capable of catalyzing the conversion of a peptidyl compound having a C-terminal glycine residue to a corresponding peptidyl amide having an amino group in place of the C-terminal glycine. The purified compositions have specific activities above 25 mU per mg protein and are sufficiently free of proteases to allow effective catalysis of even peptidyl compounds having L-amino acids. Biologically important alpha-amidated products such as calcitonin and other regulatory hormones are efficiently produced using the alpha-amidation reaction catalyzed by the enzymes. Purification by size exclusion chromatography in combination with strong anion exchange chromatography results in homogeneous enzyme species which are used to prepare antibodies specific for the alpha-amidating enzyme. A gene capable of expressing the alpha-amidating enzyme is ligated into an expression vector and transformed into a host cell capable of expressing the gene.

Abstract: Expression systems are disclosed for the direct expression of peptide products into the culture media where genetically engineered host cells are grown. High yield was achieved with novel vectors, a special selection of hosts, and/or fermentation processes which include careful control of cell growth rate, and use of an inducer during growth phase. Special vectors are provided which include control regions having multiple promoters linked operably with coding regions encoding a signal peptide upstream from a coding region encoding the peptide of interest. Multiple transcription cassettes are also used to increase yield. The production of amidated peptides using the expression systems is also disclosed.

Abstract: Expression systems are disclosed for the direct expression of peptide products into the culture media where genetically engineered host cells are grown. High yield was achieved with novel vectors, a special selection of hosts, and/or fermentation processes which include careful control of cell growth rate, and use of an inducer during growth phase. Special vectors are provided which include control regions having multiple promoters linked operably with coding regions encoding a signal peptide upstream from a coding region encoding the peptide of interest. Multiple transcription cassettes are also used to increase yield. The production of amidated peptides using the expression systems is also disclosed.

Abstract: Bioavailability of peptide active agents to be administered orally is enhanced by a pharmaceutical composition providing targeted release of the peptide to the intestine by virtue of an acid-resistant protective vehicle which transports components of the invention through the stomach. The composition includes an absorption enhancer and a sufficient amount of a pH-lowering agent to lower local intestinal pH. All components are released together into the intestine with the peptide.

Abstract: Bioavailability of salmon calcitonin to be administered orally is enhanced by a pharmaceutical composition providing targeted release of the peptide to the intestine, together with an absorption enhancer and a sufficient amount of a pH-lowering agent to lower local intestinal pH. Specific concentrations and classes of these agents are disclosed to account for the particular characteristics of salmon calcitonin.

Abstract: Alpha-amidating enzyme is produced by recombinant DNA techniques recoverable in high yields and at high purity. Both eukaryotic and prokaryotic expression vectors are provided having a transcriptional promoter followed downstream by a DNA sequence which encodes amidating enzyme. The vector selected is one capable of directing the expression of polypeptides in the host selected, and preferred hosts are transected with the described vectors.

Abstract: Peptidyl-glycine .alpha.-amidating monooxygenase is an enzyme extractable from medullary thyroid carcinoma cell lines and tissue samples, having a molecular mass of about 60,000 to 65,000 daltons. It has been purified so as to exhibit a single, homogeneous, well-defined band using electrophoretic procedures performed on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, and has a specific enzymatic activity of at least 50 mU per mg protein. The free or immobilized enzyme, in the presence of Cu.sup.+2 ions, ascorbate, and oxygen, can be used to prepare an .alpha.-amidated protein from a polypeptide substrate possessing a carboxyl-terminal glycine residue. The purified enzyme can be used as an antigen in order to produce enzyme-specific monoclonal antibodies, and can provide the information necessary to design and construct prokaryotes or other appropriate unicellular organisms or host cells isolated from multicellular organisms which possess peptidyl-glycine .alpha.-amidating capability.

Abstract: Induction of immune response is achieved by implantation of an antigen-impregnated substrate in the peritoneal cavity of a mammal. Immunogenic implants adapted to be implanted in mammals and the preparation thereof are also disclosed.