Abstract: The invention provides a modified therapeutic agent, said modified agent comprising three or more membrane binding elements with low membrane affinity covalently associated with the agent which elements are capable of interacting independently and with thermodynamic additivity, with components of cellular or artificial membranes exposed to extracellular fluids wherein at least two membrane binding elements are lipophilic elements, which may be aliphatic acyl groups, which may be selected from the list consisting of Myristoyl, Decanoyl or Hexanoyl.

Abstract: This invention relates to formulations of polypeptides and their derivatives that act as inhibitors or regulators of the immune or coagulation systems and are of use in organ transplantation. It provides solutions which include, for example, complement inhibitors or regulators of T- or B-lymphocyte function in modified molecular forms that can be used to perfuse and modify organs prior to transplantation or to store organs prior to transplantation, and to localise agents on organs.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, soluble derivatives of soluble polypeptides that incorporate membrane binding elements. Methods of making these soluble derivatives, and methods of using these soluble derivatives also are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, soluble derivatives of soluble polypeptides that incorporate membrane binding elements. Methods of making these soluble derivatives, and methods of using these soluble derivatives also are provided.

Abstract: The invention concerns agents with anti-bacterial activity and methods and intermediates for their production. The present invention further concerns the use of such agents for the treatment of bacterial infections in animals, including man. The agents are derivatives of vancomycin-type antibiotics, of structure: V-L-W-X; wherein V is a glycopeptide moiety which inhibits peptidoglycan biosynthesis in bacteria; L is a linking group; W is a peptidic membrane-associating element such as an element based on naturally-occurring animal or bacterial peptide antibiotics; and X is hydrogen or a membrane-insertive element.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for forming a compound having the formula (I): from chemical entities native [A], native [B] and native [C], where native [A] has a thioester group, native [B] had a 1-amino-2-thiol group with an unoxidised sulfhydryl side chain, and native [C] had a thiol reactive function (TRF) group, wherein chemical entities [A], [B] and [C] are covalently linked by linker group L, comprising the steps of: (i) admixing native [A] and native [B] in a reaction solution; (ii) condensing the unoxidised sulfydryl side chain of native [B] with the thioester group of native [A] for producing a first intermediate compound wherein [A] and [B] are linked with a ?-aminothioester bond; (iii) rearranging the ?-aminothioester bond for producing a second intermediate compound wherein [A] and [B] are linked with an amide bond having attached thereto a free thiol group; (iv) admixing native [C] with the second intermediate compound in a reaction solution; and (v) reacting the thiol reactive function (TRF)

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, soluble derivatives of soluble polypeptides that incorporate membrane binding elements. Methods of making these soluble derivatives, and methods of using these soluble derivatives also are provided.

Abstract: Replacement of codons in DNA encoding the first three SCRs of LHR-A of CR1 with others encoding the predicted amino acids in the CR1-like sequence can give rise to chimeric genes which can be expressed to give active complement inhibitors with functional complement inhibitory, including anti-haemolytic activity. There is provided a soluble polypeptide comprising, in sequence, one to four short consensus repeats (SCR) selected from SCR 1, 2, 3 and 4 of long homologous repeat A (LHR-A) as the only structurally and functionally intact SCR domains of CR1 and including at least SCR3, in which one or more of the native amino acids are substituted with the following: Val 4, Asp 19, Scr 53, Lys 57, Ala 74, Asp 79, Arg 84, Pro 91, Asn 109, Lys 116, Val 119, Ala 132, Thr 137, Ile 139, Ser 140, Tyr 143, His 153, Leu 156, Arg 159, Lys 161, Lys 177, Gly 230, Ser 235, His 236.

Abstract: A polypeptide comprising a portion of the sequence of the general formula (I): CNPGSGGRKVFELVGEPSIYCTSNDDQVGIWSG, of 6-23 amino acids in length and comprising sequence a) and/or b): a) GGRKVF, b) FELVGEPSIY multimeric and chimeric derivatives, pharmaceutiocal compositions containing them and their use in therapy.

Abstract: The invention provides a linear concatamer of at least two non-identical DNA sequences which, by virtue of third base redundancy of the genetic code of the codons, each encode the same polypeptide of at least 30 amino acids; wherein the concatamer comprises or consists of a nucleic acid sequence which codes for an oligomer of said polypeptides in a continuous reading frame. A single invariant cysteine codon may be added to one DNA sequence to encode a polypeptide derivative with a unique unpaired cysteine. The concatamer may be fused to one or more sequences encoding one or more antigens. The DNA sequences in the concatamer may encode the compliment C3 fragment C3d or an analogue thereof. The invention also provides an expression vector comprising the concatamer nucleic acid sequence and regulatory or other sequences for expression of any oligomeric polypeptide encoded thereby, as well as a host cell comprising the expression vector.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, soluble derivatives of soluble polypeptides that incorporate membrane binding elements. Methods of making these soluble derivatives, and methods of using these soluble derivatives also are provided.