Abstract: Pancreatic disease can be diagnosed by assaying a patient's body fluid such as serum or urine, for pancreatic activation peptides (PAP) released from zymogens by proteolytic activation. Particularly useful are peptides having C-terminal D.sub.4 K sequences. The method uses polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies generated and selected for C-terminal specificity on PAP so that the tests only report free PAP not parent zymogen. Also described are peptides and antibodies labelled with revealing agents and/or immobilised on solid supports and their use in diagnostic assays and kits. In pancreatic disease the tests distinguish necrotising from oedematous acute pancreatitis and permit severity prediction and monitoring as well as diagnosing chronic pancreatitis in exacerbation.

Abstract: Pancreatic disease can be diagnosed by assaying a patient's body fluid, e.g. serum or urine, for the activation peptides of pancreatic zymogens specifically cleaved by proteolysis during activation, (PAP) e.g. peptides including the sequence D.sub.4 K having the lysine as the carboxy terminus. When PAP is assayed for, the test provides a means for distinguishing necrotising acute pancreatitis from oedematous acute pancreatitis, provides for diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis in exacerbation, and permits monitoring of the severity progress of the disease. Also described are antibodies having specificity for the pancreatic activation peptides, as well as such peptides and antibodies which are labelled with revealing agents and/or immobilized on solid supports, and their use in diagnostic test kits.

Abstract: Compounds of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer from 2 to 6, m is an integer from 2 to 4, p is an integer from 1 to 3, R is H, an amino protecting group conventionally used in peptide chemistry or a solid phase support, R.sub.1 is H or a carboxy protecting group conventionally used in peptide chemistry and R.sub.2 is H or alkyl or H.sub.2 N--C.dbd.NH are useful for inhibiting the activity of enterokinases.