Abstract: A polypeptide having gamma-interferon activity which lacks the amino acid sequence coded for by exon 4, a polynucleotide sequence which codes for said polypeptide, a replicable expression vehicle containing said polynucleotide sequence and a transformed microorganism containing said replicable expression vehicle are disclosed. The transformed microorganism is useful for preparing the polypeptide having gamma-interferon activity.

Abstract: A polypeptide having interferon activity which has an amino acid sequence corresponding to an amino acid sequence of an interferon selected from rIFN-.alpha., hybrid rIFN-.alpha., rIFN-.beta. and rIFN-.gamma. interferons in which at least one cysteine residue in the amino acid sequence has been replaced by an amino acid residue which is incapable of forming intermolecular disulfide bonds is provided. There are also provided a dsDNA sequence encoding the novel polypeptide; a replicable plasmidic expression vehicle containing the dsDNA encoding the novel polypeptides of the invention; a microorganism which has been transformed with the replicable plasmidic expression vehicle; and a method of preparing the dsDNA which encodes the novel polypeptides of the invention.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for preventing and treating bone diseases caused by bone loss comprising administering to a patient a pharmaceutical composition with IFN-.gamma. as the active substance.

Abstract: Methods and vaccines for the production of antibodies to infectious organisms are described. Live recombinant adenovirus containing a foreign gene coding for an antigen produced by another infectious organism is delivered to the intestine of a warm-blooded animal in an enteric-coated dosage form, whereupon the virus infects the gut wall and induces the production of antibodies or cell mediated immunity to both adenovirus and the other infectious organism.

Abstract: This invention relates to new hybrid interferons consisting of part of an .alpha.-interferon and part of an omega interferon, the N-terminal Met or N-formyl-Met derivatives thereof and, if the peptide sequence of the hybrid interferon contains a glycosylation site, the N-glycosylated derivatives thereof, their use as pharmaceutical compositions and as intermediate products for immunizing experimental animals and processes for producing them,new monoclonal antibodies and their use in purifying .alpha. and omega-interferons, the hybrid cell lines which secrete them and processes for preparing them,a new process for purifying .alpha. and omega-interferons by means of a new antibody affinity column containing the above-mentioned new monoclonal antibodies, and processes for the preparation thereof,new hybrid plasmids for improving the expression of omega-interferons and new intermediate plasmids for preparing the new plasmids and processes for the preparation thereof.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition is prepared wherein a biologically active conjugated protein which is .beta.-interferon, interleukin-2, or an immunotoxin is dissolved in an aqueous carrier medium without the presence of a solubilizing agent. The unconjugated protein, which is not water-soluble or not readily soluble in water at pH 6-8 without such solubilizing agent, is selectively conjugated to a water-soluble polymer selected from polyethylene glycol homopolymers or polyoxyethylated polyols.

Abstract: A method for inhibiting the development or limiting the extent of malarial parasitemia in mammals comprising administering an amount of gamma-interferon sufficient to inhibit parasitemia, said parasitemia being incident to invasion of said mammal by sporozoites of a member of the genus Plasmodium. The administration of gamma-interferon takes place no later than the end of the prepatency period of said mammal (or of the dormant phase of the parasite as the case may be).

Abstract: A biological control agent comprising the mycoparasite Trichoderma harzianum T-315 (ATCC No. 20671), which is characterized by fungicidal activity against fungi of the genera Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotium and Fusarium. This strain is useful for controlling damping-off, root-rot, crown-rot and neck-rot in seedling crops. This strain is also resistant to chemical pesticides and soil-sterilants and useful for integrated biological and chemical control of soil-borne pathogens.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprising a polypeptide of the formula:A-R.sub.1 -B-R.sub.2-22 -CwhereinA is the amino acid sequence 1-16 of human beta interferon;R.sub.1 is cysteine, serine or alanine;B is the amino acid sequence 18-31 of human beta interferon;R.sub.2-22 are naturally occurring amino acids;C is the amino acid sequence 53-166 of human beta interferon.

Abstract: An interferon preparation to be administered topically is provided comprising: (a) a therapeutically effective amount of one or more interferons; (b) a vehicle base compatible with the interferon or interferons being administered; (c) an effective amount of one or more protease inhibitors for the purpose of reducing the rate of decay of the biological activity of the interferon or interferons due to proteolytic agents; and (d) an effective amount of one or more anti-microbial agents. In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the vehicle base is prepared from a mixture of polyethylene glycols or includes hydroxyethyl cellulose as a thickening agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a peptide having an amino acid sequence of less than about 100 amino acids, immunochemically reactive with an antibody directed against human gamma-interferon, and displaying gamma-interferon antiviral and cytolytic activities.

Abstract: An immunogenic conjugate which is the reductive amination product of an immunogenic capsular polymer fragment having at least one reducing group and derived from a bacterial capsular polymer of a bacterial pathogen, and a bacterial toxin or toxoid. The invention also relates to methods for the preparation of the conjugates, a vaccine containing the conjugates which elicits effective levels of anti-capsular polymer antibodies in humans. Also disclosed are methods for inducing active immunization against systemic infection in young mammals caused by bacterial pathogens comprising the administration of an immunogenic amount of the above-described conjugate. In a preferred embodiment, the capsular polymer fragment prior to conjugation has at least one aldehyde group at each end of the fragment. The final conjugate made with such capsular polymers has a lattice or network structure, and provides extremely high levels of anti-capsular polymer antibodies in infants.

Abstract: Chimeric peptides adapted for delivering neuropharmaceutical agents, such as neuropeptides into the brain by receptor-mediated transcytosis through the blood-brain barrier. The chimeric peptides include a peptide which by itself is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier by transcytosis at a relatively high rate. The transportable peptide is conjugated to a hydrophilic neuropeptide which by itself is transportable only at a very low rate into the brain across the blood-brain barrier. The resulting chimeric peptide is transported into the brain at a much higher rate than the neuropeptide alone to thereby provide an effective means for introducing hydrophilic neuropeptides into the brain through the blood-brain barrier.

Abstract: This invention provides an antitumor active substance GIF, a process for preparing the same, an antitumor composition containing the substance, a gene coding for GIF, a vector containing the gene and a recombinant microorganism, the substance GIF comprises as its component protein polypeptide A of the following primary structure. ##STR1## wherein X is Cys or Ser and Z is H or a peptide represented by the amino acid sequence ##STR2## or a peptide having the above sequence wherein at least one amino acid is removed from the N terminal or an amino acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel derivative of human IFN-.gamma. polypeptide wherein certain amino acids of human IFN-.gamma. polypeptide are removed and certain amino acids other than said amino acids are replaced with other amino acids. The derivatives have high IFN-.gamma. activity and are expected to be useful as drugs such as anti-viral and anti-tumor agents.

Abstract: Described are rapid and highly efficient procedures for the total synthesis of linear, double stranded DNA sequences in excess of about 200 base pairs in length, which sequences may comprise entire structural genes. Novel sequences are prepared from two or more DNA subunits provided with terminal regions comprising restriction endonuclease cleavage sites facilitating insertion of subunits into a selected vector for purposes of amplification during the course of the total assembly process. The total, finally-assembled sequences include at least one, and preferably two or more, unique restriction endonuclease cleavage site(s) at intermediate positions along the sequence, allowing for easy excision and replacement of subunits and the correspondingly facile preparation of multiple structural analogs of polypeptides coded for by the sequences.

Abstract: A method for treating vascular disorders or pulmonary disorders associated with smoking in an animal which comprises: administering to the animal milk collected from a bovid being maintained in a hyperimmune state, in an amount and for a time sufficient to produce anti arteriosclerotic or antiaging vascular effects or sparing effects on lung tissue.

Abstract: The nuceoside 1-(2-Deoxy-.beta.-D-ribofuranosyl)-5-(iodo)-2-pyrimidinone possesses a high level of antiviral activity and a low level of toxicity to the host cell making it an especially effective therapeutic agent for HSV-2.

Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods useful for the stabilization of interferons. More particularly, this invention relates to the formulation of gamma interferons with lactobionic acid in an acetate/glycine buffer.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition is prepared wherein a biologically active conjugated protein is dissolved in an aqueous carrier medium in the absence of a solubilizing agent. The unconjugated protein, which is not readily water-soluble at pH 6-8 without such solubilizing agent, is covalently conjugated to polyproline via a flexible spacer arm and exhibits substantial biological activity.