Abstract: The invention relates to a method and reagent for the synthesis of peptides containing deoxyhypusine, the reagent having the formula: wherein: Q1 and Q2 may be the same or different and are amino protective groups, and Q3 is an amino protective group which is orthogonal to Q1 and Q2. The invention also relates to peptides of formula S-deoxyHpu-T  (2) that may be synthesized using the reagent of the invention, wherein deoxyHpu is the deoxyhypusine residue, S and T are each independently peptide residues from zero to 12 amino acids in length.

Abstract: Bacterial meningitis infection in a mammal is treated by intravenous infusion of a therapeutically effective amount of a monoclonal antibody which binds to tumor necrosis factor alpha and an antibiotic. Treatment can be initiated up to five hours after bacterial challenge and the antibiotic is preferably selected from cephalosporins and aminoglycosides.