Abstract: Less toxic agents for reversal of heparin or low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation which are synthetic protamine-like polycationic peptides having a total cationic charge which is less than that of n-protamine. In preferred embodiments, arginine residues of n-protamine are replaced with lysine residues for ease of manufacture. Selective positively charged arginine residues have been replaced with an uncharged amino acid residue or its analog, such as glycine or glutamine, in order to reduce the total cationic charge on the polycationic peptide to the range of about ?+14! to ?+18!, preferably ?+16! to ?+18!. In specific embodiments, there are sequences of 29 and 32 amino acid residues wherein 4 to 5 clusters of 2 to 4 positively charged amino acids are separated by 2 to 6 neutral amino acids. The C-terminus and the N-terminus can be modified to mitigate against in vivo degradation by carboxypeptidases and aminopeptidases. Another modification, specifically use of .alpha.

Abstract: Less toxic agents for reversal of heparin or low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation which are synthetic protamine-like polycationic peptides having a total cationic charge which is less than that of n-protamine. In preferred embodiments, arginine resides of n-protamine are replaced with lysine residues for ease of manufacture. Selective positively charged arginine residues have been replaced with an uncharged amino acid residue or its analog, such as glycine or glutamine, in order to reduce the total cationic charge on the polycationic peptide to the range of about ?+14! to ?+18!, preferably ?+16!. In specific embodiments, there are sequences of 29 amino acid residues wherein 4 to 5 clusters of 2 to 4 positively charged amino acids are separated by 2 to 6 neutral amino acids. The C-terminus and the N-terminus can be modified to mitigate against in vivo degradation by carboxypeptidases and aminopeptidases.

Abstract: Less toxic agents for reversal of heparin or low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation which are synthetic protamine-like polycationic peptides having a total cationic charge which is less than that of n-protamine. In preferred embodiments, arginine residues of n-protamine are replaced with lysine residues for ease of manufacture. Selective positively charged arginine residues have been replaced with an uncharged amino acid residue or its analog, such as glycine or glutamine, in order to reduce the total cationic charge on the polycationic peptide to the range of about [+14] to [+18], preferably [+16] to [+18]. In specific embodiments, there are sequences of 29 and 32 amino acid residues wherein 4 to 5 clusters of 2 to 4 positively charged amino acids are separated by 2 to 6 neutral amino acids. The C-terminus and the N-terminus can be modified to mitigate against in vivo degradation by carboxypeptidases and aminopeptidases. Another modification, specifically use of .alpha.

Abstract: Less toxic agents for reversal of heparin or low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation which are synthetic protamine-like polycationic peptides having a total cationic charge which is less than that of n-protamine. In preferred embodiments, arginine residues of n-protamine are replaced with lysine residues for ease of manufacture. Selective positively charged arginine residues have been replaced with an uncharged amino acid residue or its analog, such as glycine or glutamine, in order to reduce the total cationic charge on the polycationic peptide to the range of about [+14] to [+18], preferably [+16]. In specific embodiments, there are sequences of 29 amino acid residues wherein 4 to 5 clusters of 2 to 4 positively charged amino acids are separated by 2 to 6 neutral amino acids. The C-terminus and the N-terminus can be modified to mitigate against in vivo degradation by carboxypeptidases and aminopeptidases.

Abstract: Oligonucleotides having at least ten nucleosides, at least two of which are selected from the group consisting of A, T, C and G, and at least one nucleoside being a universal nucleoside of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: each R.sub.n is H, OH, F or OCH.sub.3 ;Z is a member of the group consisting of O, S and CH.sub.2 ; andB is a five-membered, heterocyclic base having at least two double bonds, and further having an electron withdrawing group bonded thereto, said base with electron withdrawing group being represented by the formula: ##STR2## wherein: said base with electron withdrawing group is bonded at X.sub.4 to the sugar portion of the nucleoside;X.sub.1, X.sub.3 and X.sub.5 are each members of the group consisting of N, O, C, S and Se;X.sub.2 and X.sub.4 are each members of the group consisting of N and C; andW is a member of the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, O, S, OH, SH, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, C(O)H, C(O)NHOH, C(S)NHOH, NO, C(NOCH.sub.3)NH.sub.2, OCH.sub.3, SCH.sub.3, SeCH.sub.3, ONH.sub.2, NHOCH.sub.