Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant variants of R-spondin proteins and their use as a medicament, in particular for the treatment of diabetes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition comprising or consisting of components (a) (i) at least one mono-alkanoyl glycerol ester, wherein alkanoyl is selected from C4 to C21 alkanoyl, preferably from octanoyl and decanoyl; and (b) (i) at least one compound selected from cholesterol, phosphatidyl cholines and phosphatidyl glycerols, wherein the acyl moieties of the phosphatidyl moieties are independently selected from C6 to C21 alkanoyl and C6 to C21 alkenoyl.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for mucosal delivery of peptides. The compositions include a stably hydrated peptide active agent complexed with a crown compound and/or a counter ion solubilized in a non-aqueous hydrophobic vehicle at a pH different from the pI of the peptide active agent. The methods include administering to a subject an effective amount of a composition of the disclosure. Other aspects include methods for the manufacture of the compositions of the disclosure. Also provided are compositions and kits that find use in practicing embodiments of the disclosure. The methods and compositions find use in a variety of applications, including the treatment of a variety of different disease conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a peptide or polypeptide (a) which is esterified or thio-esterified (i) at the carboxylate of the C-terminus with a guanidinium alkanol, a guanidinium alkanethiol, a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and having a free hydroxyl group, or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a sulfhydryl group; (ii) at a side-chain carboxylate of one or more Asp or Glu residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanol, a guanidinium alkanethiol, a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and having a free hydroxyl group, or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a sulfhydryl group; (iii) at a hydroxyl group of one or more Ser, Thr or Tyr residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanoic acid or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a carboxyl group; (iv) at a sulfhydryl group of one or more Cys residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanoic acid or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a carboxyl group; and/or (v) at the N-terminus with a guanidinium alkanoi

Abstract: This invention relates to a peptide or polypeptide (a) which is esterified or thio-esterified (i) at the carboxylate of the C-terminus with a guanidinium alkanol, a guanidinium alkanethiol, a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and having a free hydroxyl group, or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a sulfhydryl group; (ii) at a side-chain carboxylate of one or more Asp or GIu residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanol, a guanidinium alkanethiol, a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and having a free hydroxyl group, or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a sulfhydryl group; (iii) at a hydroxyl group of one or more Ser, Thr or Tyr residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanoic acid or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a carboxyl group; (iv) at a sulfhydryl group of one or more Cys residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanoic acid or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a carboxyl group; and/or (v) at the N-terminus with a guanidinium alkanoi

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition comprising or consisting of components (a) (i) at least one mono-alkanoyl glycerol ester, wherein alkanoyl is selected from C4 to C21 alkanoyl, preferably from octanoyl and decanoyl; and (b) (i) at least one compound selected from cholesterol, phosphatidyl cholines and phosphatidyl glycerols, wherein the acyl moieties of the phosphatidyl moieties are independently selected from C6 to C21 alkanoyl and C6 to C21 alkenoyl.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of producing a modified (poly)peptide, said method comprising the step of modifying in an organic solvent a crown ether-bound (poly)peptide at one or more carboxylic groups by esterification or thioesterification and/or at the amino group of the N-terminal amino acid by amidation or alkylation. Furthermore provided are (poly)peptides and antibodies obtainable with the method of the invention as well as medical uses thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to A crown ether of formula (I) wherein m is 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 and i is, independently for each occurrence, 1 or 2; each occurrence of R1 and R2 is independently selected from hydrogen; linear or branched and substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkyl, alkenyl and alkinyl; and substituted or unsubstituted aryl with up to 10 ring atoms; or R1 and R2 together form an oxo group; at least one occurrence in the crown ether of R1, R2 and the carbon to which R1 and R2 are attached, said carbon being bound directly to an ether oxygen of formula (I), form together a group of formula (II) wherein L is a linker which is absent or selected from a covalent bond and (CR5R6)n, each occurrence of R5 and R6 being independently selected from hydrogen; linear or branched and substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkyl, alkenyl and alkinyl; and substituted or unsubstituted aryl with up to 10 ring atoms, n being 1, 2 or 3; X and Y, independently from each other, are selected from O and S; Z, inde

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a cyclic compound of formula (I) wherein A, B independently in each occurrence is alkane-i,j-diyl having k carbon atoms, i and independently j being less than or equal k and k being selected from 1 to 10, wherein said alkane-i,j-diyl (i) may comprise one or more double bonds; (ii) is optionally substituted; and/or (iii) comprises a cycle, wherein the total number of cycles being cyclic sugars in said compound is selected from 0 to 4 and is less than p·(n+m); X,Y independently in each occurrence is a biocompatible functional group comprising at least one oxygen atom or two sulphur atoms; n, m independently of each other are selected from 0 to 20; p is selected from 1 to 10; n+m is equal or greater than 1; and p·(n+m) is selected from 3 to 30; wherein said compound is capable of forming a complex with a protonated primary and/or protonated secondary amino group and/or a protonated guanidinium group for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical or diagnostic composition.

Abstract: This invention relates to A crown ether of formula (I) wherein m is 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 and i is, independently for each occurrence, 1 or 2; each occurrence of R1 and R2 is independently selected from hydrogen; linear or branched and substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkyl, alkenyl and alkinyl; and substituted or unsubstituted aryl with up to 10 ring atoms; or R1 and R2 together form an oxo group; at least one occurrence in the crown ether of R1, R2 and the carbon to which R1 and R2 are attached, said carbon being bound directly to an ether oxygen of formula (I), form together a group of formula (II) wherein L is a linker which is absent or selected from a covalent bond and (CR5R6)n, each occurrence of R5 and R6 being independently selected from hydrogen; linear or branched and substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C10 alkyl, alkenyl and alkinyl; and substituted or unsubstituted aryl with up to 10 ring atoms, n being 1, 2 or 3; X and Y, independently from each other, are selected from O and S; Z, indep

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for mucosal delivery of peptides. The compositions include a stably hydrated peptide active agent complexed with a crown compound and/or a counter ion solubilized in a non-aqueous hydrophobic vehicle at a pH different from the pI of the peptide active agent. The methods include administering to a subject an effective amount of a composition of the disclosure. Other aspects include methods for the manufacture of the compositions of the disclosure. Also provided are compositions and kits that find use in practicing embodiments of the disclosure. The methods and compositions find use in a variety of applications, including the treatment of a variety of different disease conditions.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of assembling oligopeptide intermediates in a native chemical ligation reaction that eliminates self-ligation of bi-functional intermediates. An important aspect of the invention is a bi-functional intermediate with an N-terminal heterocyclic protecting group which effectively prevents self-ligation in the chemical assembly process. The present invention is useful in methods for convergent synthesis of polypeptides and proteins and improves the efficiency of native chemical ligation reactions, particularly where three or more peptide fragments are used to assemble a polypeptide or protein product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for synthesizing an oligopeptide or polypeptide by convergent assembly of a plurality of pairs of oligopeptides in chemical ligation reactions. An important aspect of the present invention is an oligopeptide having a C-terminal disulfide-protected carboxythioester group that can be deprotected to spontaneously generate a free C-terminal thioester moiety. This allows a single precursor to participate in a succession of chemical ligation reactions, thereby making the convergent synthesis approach possible. The present invention is useful in methods for chemical synthesis of oligopeptides, polypeptides and proteins, and improves the efficiency of native chemical ligation reactions, particularly where four or more peptide fragments are used to assemble an oligopeptide, polypeptide or protein product.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a cyclic compound of formula (I) wherein A, B independently in each occurrence is alkane-i,j-diyl having k carbon atoms, i and independently j being less than or equal k and k being selected from 1 to 10, wherein said alkane-i,j-diyl (i) may comprise one or more double bonds; (ii) is optionally substituted; and/or (iii) comprises a cycle, wherein the total number of cycles being cyclic sugars in said compound is selected from 0 to 4 and is less than p·n+m); X,Y independently in each occurrence is a biocompatible functional group comprising at least one oxygen atom or two sulphur atoms; n, m independently of each other are selected from 0 to 20; p is selected from 1 to 10; n+m is equal or greater than 1; and p·(n+m) is selected from 3 to 30; wherein said compound is capable of forming a complex with a protonated primary and/or protonated secondary amino group and/or a protonated guanidinium group for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical or diagnostic composition further

Abstract: This invention relates to a peptide or polypeptide (a) which is esterified or thio-esterified (i) at the carboxylate of the C-terminus with a guanidinium alkanol, a guanidinium alkanethiol, a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and having a free hydroxyl group, or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a sulthydryl group; (ii) at a side-chain carboxylate of one or more Asp or GIu residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanol, a guanidinium alkanethiol, a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and having a free hydroxyl group, or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a sulfhydryl group; (iii) at a hydroxyl group of one or more Ser, Thr or Tyr residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanoic acid or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a carboxyl group; (iv) at a sulthydryl group of one or more Cys residues, if present, with a guanidinium alkanoic acid or a PEG substituted with a guanidinium group and a carboxyl group; and/or (v) at the N-terminus with a guanidinium alkanoi

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of producing a modified (poly)peptide, said method comprising the step of modifying in an organic solvent a crown ether-bound (poly)peptide at one or more carboxylic groups by esterification or thioesterification and/or at the amino group of the N-terminal amino acid by amidation or alkylation. Furthermore provided are (poly)peptides and antibodies obtainable with the method of the invention as well as medical uses thereof.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and compositions for chemical ligation of a first component that includes a carboxythioester and a second component that includes an amino-functionalized compound bearing a branched side chain that includes a removable thiol auxiliary, to give a ligation product having an amide bond at the ligation site. The reactants of the invention are chemoselective and the thiol moiety is removable from the ligation product. Removal of the thiol can be exploited to generate a native side chain at the ligation site. The methods and compositions of the invention are particularly useful for ligation of peptides and polypeptides. The ligation system of the invention is applicable to a wide variety of molecules, and thus can be exploited to generate peptides, polypeptides and other amino acid containing polymers.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of assembling oligopeptides or polypeptides in a native chemical ligation reaction that eliminates the formation of unwanted side products resulting from the presence of an unprotected acidic C-terminal oligopeptide thioester. An important aspect of the present invention is providing side chain protected acidic C-terminal oligopeptide thioesters. The present invention is useful in methods for chemical synthesis of oligopeptides, polypeptides and proteins and improves the efficiency of native chemical ligation reactions, particularly where aspartyl or glutamyl peptide fragments are used to assemble an oligopeptide, polypeptide or protein product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for lipid matrix-assisted chemical ligation and synthesis of membrane polypeptides that are incorporated in a lipid matrix. The invention is exemplified in production of a prefolded membrane polypeptide embedded within a lipid matrix via stepwise chemoselective chemical ligation of unprotected peptide segments, where at least one peptide segment is embedded in a lipid matrix. Any chemoselective reaction chemistry amenable for ligation of unprotected peptide segments can be employed. Suitable lipid matrices include liposomes, micelles, cell membrane patches and optically isotropic cubic lipidic phase matrices. Prefolded synthetic and semi-synthetic membrane polypeptides synthesized according to the methods and compositions of the invention also permit site-specific incorporation of one or more detectable moieties, such as a chromophore, which can be conveniently introduced during synthesis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and compositions for synthesizing an oligopeptide or polypeptide by convergent assembly of a plurality of pairs of oligopeptides in chemical ligation reactions. An important aspect of the present invention is an oligopeptide having a C-terminal disulfide-protected carboxythioester group that can be deprotected to spontaneously generate a free C-terminal thioester moiety. This allows a single precursor to participate in a succession of chemical ligation reactions, thereby making the convergent synthesis approach possible. The present invention is useful in methods for chemical synthesis of oligopeptides, polypeptides and proteins, and improves the efficiency of native chemical ligation reactions, particularly where four or more peptide fragments are used to assemble an oligopeptide, polypeptide or protein product.