Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/B peptides, BoNT/B peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, immune response inducing compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of treating immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual and methods of inducing a BoNT/B immune response an individual.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/A peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, BoNT/A immune response inducing compositions and antibody compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of preventing or reducing immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of vaccinating an individual against botulinum toxin, methods of preparing anti-BoNT/A antibodies, methods of treating botulinum toxicity in an individual and methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/B peptides, BoNT/B peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, immune response inducing compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of treating immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual and methods of inducing a BoNT/B immune response an individual.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/A peptides as well as methods of predicting or determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual using BoNT/A peptides.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/B peptides, BoNT/B peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, immune response inducing compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of treating immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual and methods of inducing a BoNT/B immune response an individual.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/B peptides, BoNT/B peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, immune response inducing compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of treating immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual and methods of inducing a BoNT/B immune response an individual.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/A peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, vaccine compositions and antibody compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of preventing or reducing immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of vaccinating an individual against botulinum toxin, methods of preparing anti-BoNT/A antibodies, methods of treating botulinum toxicity in an individual and methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/A peptides as well as methods of predicting or determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual using BoNT/A peptides.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/A peptides as well as methods of predicting or determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual using BoNT/A peptides.

Abstract: The present invention provides BoNT/A peptides as well as methods of predicting or determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual using BoNT/A peptides.

Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure for synthesis of well-defined conjugates of peptides to the tolerogenic polymer monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This method results in the preparation of conjugates in which one molecule of tolerogenic polymer is specifically coupled to one or the other or both of the termini of an otherwise unaltered peptide molecule. A synthetic peptide synthesized using this method and corresponding to a myasthenogenic region of an acetylcholine receptor was conjugated to monomethoxypolyethylene glycol. Injection of animals with the mPEG-conjugate and subsequent immunization with whole receptor suppressed the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) by electrophysiological criteria. Specifically-conjugated, tolerogenic peptides are also disclosed for diseases as diverse as ragweed pollen allergy and Grave's disease.

Abstract: PEPZYMES.TM., chemically synthesized cyclic peptides, modeled on the active sites of naturally-occurring enzymes represented by chymotrypsin, trypsin, lysozyme, ribonuclease, urokinase, tissue plasminogen activator and their analogs are disclosed. The conformational constraints imposed on the peptide residues cause the amino acids of the peptide to assume a three-dimensional spatial relationship relative to the substrate that is essentially equivalent to that of the corresponding active site amino acids of the natural enzyme in its catalytically active state. The new cyclic peptides catalyze the same reaction as the native enzyme being modeled, but have amino acid sequences that are substantially shorter than the naturally-occurring enzymes, and do not occur in the same linear relationship in the naturally-occurring enzymes. Methods of producing PEPZYMES.TM. are described.

Abstract: Pepzymes, chemically synthesized cyclic peptides, modeled on lysozyme and ribonuclease have been prepared which efficiently catalyze the same reaction as the native enzyme being modeled. The synthetic pepzymes have a sequence of amino acids which is substantially shorter than the naturally occurring enzymes. Methods of producing these pepzymes are described. Pepzymes may be useful catalysts under conditions where the native enzymes are inactive.

Abstract: This invention is directed towards peptidic compositions, methods, and diagnostic kits for the accurate and sensitive detection of human acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies associated with the disease myasthenia gravis (MG). Eighteen synthetic overlapping oligopeptides encompassing the entire extracellular domain (residues .alpha.1-210) of the .alpha.-chain of human AChR and an additional peptide (residues .alpha.262-276) corresponding to the extracellular connection between the two transmembrane regions were prepared. The immunologic reactivity of these peptides against autoantibodies in the plasma of patients with MG was ascertained by solid-phase radioimmunoassay. Autoantibody responses were subjected to genetic regulation as indicated by the variation in recognition profiles from patient to patient. However, it was possible to detect AChR autoantibodies in a heterogenous patient population by employing a peptide mixture comprising at least four peptides (SEQ ID NOS. 8, 17, 18, and 23).