Abstract: The invention relates to acetates of the tetrapeptides AQGV (SEQ ID NO:2) and LQGV (SEQ ID NO:3), pharmaceutical compositions comprising the acetates of the tetrapeptides, and methods of treating using the acetates of the tetrapeptides or pharmaceutical compositions to treat acute inflammatory conditions including sepsis.

Abstract: Methods of treating radiation injury of a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide consisting of an amino acid molecule selected from the group consisting of VVC, LAG, AQG, LQGV, QVVC, MTRV, LAGV, LQAV, PGCP, VGQL, RVLQ, EMFQ, AVAL, FVLS, NMWD, LCFL, FSYA, FWVD, AFTV, LGTL, QLLG, YAIT, APSL, ITTL, QALG, GVLC, NLIN, SPIE, LNTI, LHNL, CPVQ, EVVR, MTEV, EALE, EPPE, LGTL, VGGI, RLPG, LQGA, LCFL, TLAVE, VEGNL, LNEAL, CPRGVNP, MGGTWA, LTCDDP, VCNYRDV, QPLAPLVG, and DINGFLPAL. The invention provides for administration of the peptide prior to and following exposure of the subject to a source of radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to the treatment of an ischemic event such as a stroke or myocardial infarction. The invention provides a method for modulating an ischemic event in a subject comprising providing the subject with a gene-regulatory peptide or functional analogue thereof. Furthermore, the invention provides use of an NF-?B-down-regulating peptide or functional analogue thereof for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of reperfusion injury occurring after an ischemic event in a subject.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to biotechnology, and more specifically to in silico methods of identifying lead molecules that have an increased probability of becoming an approved medicament, and business methods of identifying molecules such that they have an increased probability of becoming an approved medicament. Provided is a method for identifying a biologically active peptide consisting of two to seven amino acid residues, comprising the steps of providing a database comprising a plurality of naturally occurring polypeptide sequences; defining at least one peptide motif that satisfies certain defined criteria; and determining for the defined peptide motif its frequency of occurrence among the polypeptide sequences in the database and correlating the frequency with the biological activity of the peptide.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of drug development against acute radiation injury caused by exposure to high-energy electromagnetic waves (X-rays, gamma rays) or particles (alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons). To date, there is no effective drug to ameliorate radiation injury after accidental exposure to ionizing irradiation. The invention provides a method of treating radiation injury of a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids. Furthermore, the invention provides use of a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a subject suffering from or believed to be suffering from radiation injury. In particular, the invention provides anti-radiation peptides having a dose reduction factor (DRF) against acute gamma irradiation of at least 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of immunology. Specifically, the invention relates to the field of immune-mediated disorders such as allergies, auto-immune disease, transplantation-related disease or inflammatory disease. The invention provides for an immunoregulator (IR), use of an IR in preparing a pharmaceutical composition for treating an immune-mediated disorder and a method for treating an immune-mediated disorder.

Abstract: Methods of treating radiation injury of a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence AQGV. The invention provides for administration of the amino acid composition prior to and following exposure of the subject to a source of radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of drug development against acute radiation injury caused by exposure to high-energy electromagnetic waves (X-rays, gamma rays) or particles (alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons). To date, there is no effective drug to ameliorate radiation injury after accidental exposure to ionizing irradiation. The invention provides a method of treating radiation injury of a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids. Furthermore, the invention provides use of a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a subject suffering from or believed to be suffering from radiation injury. In particular, the invention provides anti-radiation peptides having a dose reduction factor (DRF) against acute gamma irradiation of at least 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of drug development against acute radiation injury caused by exposure to high-energy electromagnetic waves (X-rays, gamma rays) or particles (alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons). To date, there is no effective drug to ameliorate radiation injury after accidental exposure to ionizing irradiation. The invention provides a method of treating radiation injury of a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids. Furthermore, the invention provides use of a peptide, or functional analogue or derivative thereof, of smaller than 30 amino acids for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a subject suffering from or believed to be suffering from radiation injury. In particular, the invention provides anti-radiation peptides having a dose reduction factor (DRF) against acute gamma irradiation of at least 1.

Abstract: Where it was generally thought that the smallest breakdown products of proteins had no specific biological function on their own, it now emerges that the body may utilize the normal process of proteolytic breakdown to generate important compounds such as gene-regulatory compounds. For instance, certain short breakdown products of hCG (i.e., short peptides which can easily be synthesized, if needed modified, and used as a pharmaceutical composition) exert a major regulatory activity on pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokine cascades that are governed by a family of crucial transcription factors, the NF-?B family, which generally regulate the expression of genes involved in the body's immune response.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of reducing urea concentration in a subject's serum. Such a method comprises administering to the subject (e.g., a mammal such as a human) a composition comprising an oligopeptide (or oligopeptides) having activity in reducing urea concentration in the subject's serum as determined by a mouse renal reperfusion test, wherein the oligopeptide comprises the sequence AQG or MTRV (SEQ ID NO:1), AQGV (SEQ ID NO:2) or LAGV (SEQ ID NO:4).

Abstract: The invention relates to the treatment multiple sclerosis, and in particular to the treatment of the inflammatory injury seen in the progressive stages in the disease such as seen with the recurrent upsurges of acute disease, classically known as “relapses” or “exacerbations” or “relapsing/remitting” disease seen in multiple sclerosis. The invention provides a method for modulating a relapsing/remitting disease in a subject suffering therefrom involving providing the subject with a gene-regulatory peptide or functional analogue thereof. Furthermore, the invention provides the use of an NF-?B down-regulating peptide or functional analogue thereof for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of relapsing/remitting disease as seen with multiple sclerosis.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of transplantation medicine and to the prevention and treatment of rejection, in particular of chronic rejection, of a transplant by a recipient of the transplant. The invention provides method for modulating transplant survival in a recipient of the transplant comprising providing the transplant with a gene-regulatory peptide or functional analogue thereof. Furthermore, the invention provides use of a gene-regulatory peptide or functional analogue thereof for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a transplant allowing modulating transplant survival in a recipient of the transplant.

Abstract: The invention relates to the modulation of gene expression in a cell, also called gene control, in particular, in relation to the treatment of ischemic-reperfusion injury. The invention provides a method for modulating expression of a gene in a cell comprising providing the cell with a signaling molecule comprising a peptide or functional analogue thereof. The invention provides a method of treating ischemia-reperfusion injury in a subject by reducing NO production by the subject's macrophages, the method comprising: administering to the subject a composition comprising: means for reducing production of NO by a cell, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds exhibiting immunoregulatory activity as determined by measuring the compound's ability to modulate production of NO by a cell. Preferred compounds include or consist of a sequence AAL AAQ AAG AAV wherein AAL is a substituted or unsubstituted non-polar amino acid selected from the group consisting of Ala and Leu; wherein AAQ is a substituted or unsubstituted amino acid selected from the group consisting of Gln, Pro, and Ala; wherein AAG is a substituted or unsubstituted amino acid Gly, and wherein AAV is a substituted or unsubstituted non-polar amino acid selected from the group consisting of Val and Ala. In certain embodiments, the compound consists of a tripeptide selected from the group AQG, MTR, VVC, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Described are methods and associated means for treating a subject, such as a mammal, experiencing or thought to be at risk for hemorrhagic shock. Such methods include administering to the subject in a medically acceptable manner, a short oligopeptide such as AQGV (SEQ ID NO:1) and/or LQGV (SEQ ID NO:2).

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of immunology. Specifically, the invention relates to the field of immune-mediated disorders such as allergies, auto-immune disease, transplantation-related disease or inflammatory disease. The invention provides for an immunoregulator (IR), use of an IR in preparing a pharmaceutical composition for treating an immune-mediated disorder and a method for treating an immune-mediated disorder.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of immunology, more specifically to the field of immune-mediated disorders such as allergies, auto-immune disease, transplantation-related disease or inflammatory disease. The invention provides among others an immunoregulator (NMPF), use of an NMPF in preparing a pharmaceutical composition for treating an immune-mediated disorder, a pharmaceutical composition and a method for treating an immune-mediated disorder.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of reducing urea concentration in a subject's serum. Such a method comprises administering to the subject (e.g., a mammal such as a human) a composition comprising an oligopeptide (or oligopeptides) having activity in reducing urea concentration in the subject's serum as determined by a mouse renal reperfusion test, wherein the oligopeptide comprises the sequence AQG or MTRV (SEQ ID NO:1), AQGV (SEQ ID NO:2) or LAGV (SEQ ID NO:4).

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds exhibiting immuno-regulatory activity as determined by measuring the compound's ability to modulate production of NO by a cell. Preferred compounds include or consist of a sequence AAL AAQ AAG AAV wherein AAL is a substituted or unsubstituted non-polar amino acid selected from the group consisting of Ala and Leu; wherein AAQ is a substituted or unsubstituted amino acid selected from the group consisting of Gln, Pro, and Ala; wherein AAG is a substituted or unsubstituted amino acid Gly, and wherein AAV is a substituted or unsubstituted non-polar amino acid selected from the group consisting of Val and Ala. In one embodiment, the compound consists of a tripeptide selected from the group AQG, MTR, VVC, and mixtures thereof.