Abstract: The present invention relates to an injection solution for intra-articular administration for treating arthritic disorders comprising a cross-linked hyaluronic acid derivative wherein part of functional groups of a hyaluronic acid are cross-linked with a cross-linking group to the extent of 0.6 to 15% of cross-linking extent as an active ingredient in an amount having a long-lasting analgesic effect and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and an analgesic composition for suppressing a cartilage degeneration caused by arthritic disorders or a composition for suppressing a cartilage degeneration or an inflammation of synovium caused by arthritic disorders each comprising the cross-linked hyaluronic acid derivative and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: An agent for applying to mucosa capable of persistently exerting a therapeutic effect on disorders such as inflammation and lesions in the mucosa even by a lower frequency of administration because the agent can stay at a diseased site for a long period of time by exhibiting a high staying property in a mucosal epithelial layer is provided, said agent for application to mucosa containing glycosaminoglycan (GAG) into which a hydrophobic group is introduced via a binding chain, as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Novel cycloalkane carboxamide derivatives having an action that selectively inhibits cathepsin K, and a production process thereof, are provided, wherein the cycloalkane carboxamide derivatives are represented by the following general formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: (wherein R1 and R2 represent (substituted) alkyl groups, (substituted) alkenyl groups, (substituted) alkynyl groups, (substituted) aromatic hydrocarbon groups or (substituted) heterocyclic groups, ring A represents an alkylidene group having 5 to 7 carbon atoms, and ring B represents a formyl group or a hydroxymethyl group).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an injection solution for intra-articular administration for treating arthritic disorders comprising a cross-linked hyaluronic acid derivative wherein part of functional groups of a hyaluronic acid are cross-linked with a cross-linking group to the extent of 0.6 to 15% of cross-linking extent as an active ingredient in an amount having a long-lasting analgesic effect and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and an analgesic composition for suppressing a cartilage degeneration caused by arthritic disorders or a composition for suppressing a cartilage degeneration or an inflammation of synovium caused by arthritic disorders each comprising the cross-linked hyaluronic acid derivative and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of recombinant DNA technology for the production of chondroitin, including the production of chondroitin sulfate via a combination of recombinant bacterial fermentation and post-fermentation sulfation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for relieving pain in a joint disease, including a hyaluronic acid and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, in which the hyaluronic acid is cross-linked by cyclizing a double bond in the moiety of a cinnamic acid in a partially amidated hyaluronic acid represented by Formula (1): [Ar—CH?CH—COO—(CH2)n—NH-]m-HA, to form a cycloubutane ring, in which Ar represents an optionally substituted phenyl group, n represents an integer of 2 or 3, HA represents a carboxy residue of the hyaluronic acid, and m represents an amidation ratio of the hyaluronic acid to the total carboxyl group and is in the range of 3 to 50% relative to the total carboxyl group.

Abstract: Cycloalkylcarbonylamino acid ester derivatives, which are raw material intermediates for a novel cycloalkane carboxamide derivative having an action that selectively inhibits cathepsin K, and a production process thereof, are provided. A cycloalkylcarbonylamino acid ester derivative represented by formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: (wherein, R1 and R2 represent alkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkynyl groups, aromatic hydrocarbon groups, heterocyclic groups, etc., R8 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and ring A represents a cyclic alkylidene group having 5, 6 or 7 carbon atoms).

Abstract: The inventions provides a method for immunologically determining a keratan sulfate level which method includes bringing an anti-keratan sulfate monoclonal antibody into contact with a biological sample, the anti-keratan sulfate monoclonal antibody exhibiting a relative reaction specificity between keratan sulfate-I and keratan sulfate-II represented by IC50KS-I/KS-II of 0.4 to 5, to thereby provide a signal; and detecting keratan sulfate contained in the biological sample from the signal. On the basis of the method, the invention also provides a joint disease detection method and a method for assessing the effect of a remedy for a joint disease and a candidate substance therefor. Through these methods, a very small amount of keratan sulfate contained in a sample, can be determined. Particularly, these methods can determine, at high-sensitivity and high-specificity, the total keratan sulfate including keratan sulfate-I, which have been difficult to determine through a conventional technique.

Abstract: Novel raw material compounds are provided that are useful for producing novel cycloalkane carboxamide derivatives having cathepsin K inhibitory action. An oxazolone derivative represented by formula (I): [wherein, R1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group, substituted phenyl group, substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group or substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, and ring A represents a saturated cyclic alkylidene group having 6 to 7 carbon atoms].

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a substance which is able to be an active ingredient for the improvement of dysfunction caused by nerve damage. An improving agent for dysfunction due to nerve damage of the present invention as a means for resolution thereof is characterized in that it comprises an endo-?-N-acetylglucosaminidase type enzyme which hydrolyzes an N-acetylglucosamide bond in a keratan sulfate backbone as an active ingredient. When the improving agent of the present invention is administered, clinical improvement is achieved in motor neuron dysfunction and sensory neuron dysfunction such as neuropathic pain represented by a pain caused by allodynia and hyperalgesic reaction of the object to be treated.

Abstract: A method for measuring LAM and a method for detecting an acid-fast bacterium, which comprise at least a step of allowing a Limulus reagent to contact with a LAM-containing sample; a method for removing reactivity of LAM with a Limulus reagent, which comprises at least a step of allowing a predetermined substance to coexist with a LAM-containing sample; a method for measuring Et in a LAM-containing sample and a method for detecting an Et-related disease, which each is a method for measuring an endotoxin using a Limulus reagent, which comprises at least a step of removing reactivity of LAM with a Limulus reagent by the above-described removing method; a method for measuring BG in a LAM-containing sample and a method for detecting mycosis, which is a method for measuring BG using a Limulus reagent, which comprises at least a step of removing reactivity of LAM with a Limulus reagent by the described-described removing method; and the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of recombinant DNA technology for the production of chondroitin, including the production of chondroitin sulfate via a combination of recombinant bacterial fermentation and post-fermentation sulfation.

Abstract: A method for rapidly and highly sensitively measuring endotoxin is provided. Endotoxin is measured using an endotoxin-measuring agent comprising the proteins (1) to (3) below, each of which is a recombinant protein obtainable by being expressed using insect cells as a host: (1) a factor C derived from Tachypleus tridentatus, which factor C does not have a His-tag sequence at the C-terminus; (2) a factor B of a horseshoe crab; and (3) a proclotting enzyme of a horseshoe crab.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nucleus pulposus filler or the like which is to be packed into an area in deformed intervertebral disc wherein normal nucleus should be located and can be stabley maintained for a long time More preferably, the present invention provides a nucleus pulposus filler comprising a crosslinked chondroitin sulfate as an active ingredient. The photocrosslinked chondroitin sulfate is preferably the following one: a photocrosslinked chondroitin sulfate obtainable by freezing a photoreactive chondroitin sulfate-containing solution comprising: a photoreactive chondroitin sulfate to which a photoreactive group is bound; an aqueous solvent capable of dissolving the photoreactive chondroitin sulfate; and any one substance selected from the group consisting of an alcohol having aqueous solvent miscibility, a surfactant, and a cheleting agent; irradiating the resulting frozen product with light; and then melting the frozen product.

Abstract: A glycosaminoglycan sulfotransferase, a peptide thereof, a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the same, an enzyme agent for the synthesis of a glycosaminoglycan, which comprises the above-described enzyme or polypeptide, and a process for producing a glycosaminoglycan, which uses the enzyme agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent which induces acceleration of hard tissue formation, acceleration of cell differentiation and increase in cellular alkaline phosphatase activity, by directly acting on the cell. Specifically, it provides a hard tissue formation promoter, a cell differentiation inducer and a cellular alkaline phosphatase activity reinforcing agent comprising, as an active ingredient, a glycosaminoglycan or a salt thereof that keeps sulfate group and has the characteristics of the following (1) and (2): (1) a basic structure is a disaccharide repeating structure consisting of a hexuronic acid residue and a glucosamine residue, (2) one or less of the position among a 2-position hydroxyl group of a hexuronic acid residue, a 6-position hydroxyl group of a glucosamine residue and a 2-position amino group of the glucosamine residue in the basic structure of the aforementioned (1) does not have the sulfate group.

Abstract: Objects of the present invention are to provide a DNA fragment encoding a limulus-derived pro-clotting enzyme, a virus harboring the DNA fragment, a cell harboring the virus, a method of producing the pro-clotting enzyme by use of the cell, and means for assaying an endotoxin or (1?3)-?-D-glucan employing the enzyme, wherein these elements are capable of producing an endotoxin or (1?3)-?-D-glucan assay reagent of satisfactory quality, steadily, at low cost, and on a large scale. In the present invention, for example, a DNA fragment encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence defined by SEQ ID NO: 4 is selected as a nucleic acid fragment encoding a limulus-derived pro-clotting enzyme, and the corresponding recombinant pro-clotting enzyme. Use of the enzyme can provide a high-sensitivity method and kit for detecting (1?3)-?-D-glucan and an endotoxin, utilizing a cascade reaction system in a horseshoe crab lysate.

Abstract: A method for detecting lysosomal storage diseases including the steps of performing an assay for a single species of glycosaminoglycan contained in a specimen and correlating results of the assay with lysosomal storage diseases. A body fluid such as urine or blood can be employed as a specimen. The assay can be performed by use of a polypeptide that is capable of specifically binding to a glycosaminoglycan-containing molecule. The polypeptide may be an antibody, or a polypeptide having an antigen-binding site of an antibody.

Abstract: A polysaccharide derivative having a high solubility in an aqueous solvent is produced. The production method of the present invention uses a compound shown by the general formula (1) as a condensing agent and allows a polysaccharide having a carboxyl group to react with an an organic compound having a functional group capable of condensing with the carboxyl group to prepare the polysaccharide derivative: R1 and R2 independently represent a substituent selected among alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and aryl groups of 6 to 8 carbon atoms; Z?represents a counter anion; and E+represents an organic group shown as: R3, R4, and R5 independently represent an organic group having at least one carbon atom directly bound to a quaternary nitrogen atom and any two or all of R3, R4, and R5 may link together to form a cyclic structure.

Abstract: A very safe and useful agent for inhibiting fungal growth and the like are provided by the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides (1) an agent for inhibiting fungal growth comprising hyaluronic acid or a salt thereof excluding a heavy metal salt as the active ingredient, and a method for inhibiting fungal growth, which comprises at least a step of allowing hyaluronic acid or a salt thereof excluding a heavy metal salt to contact with a fungus, (2) an agent for reinforcing activity of inhibiting fungal growth possessed by a cell, which comprises a DNA encoding a hyaluronic acid synthase as the active ingredient, (3) a method for reinforcing activity of inhibiting fungal growth of a cell, which comprises at least a step of transfecting a DNA encoding a hyaluronic acid synthase into the cell, and (4) a method for inhibiting fungal growth, which comprises at least a step of allowing a cell transfected with a DNA encoding a hyaluronic acid synthase to contact with a fungus.