Abstract: The invention provides substituted pyrazolidinone compounds, and methods of treatment and pharmaceutical compositions that utilize or comprise one or more such compounds. Compounds of the invention are useful for a variety of therapies, including treating or preventing various cancers, inflammation, septic shock, preterm labor, infertility, pain, and ischemia, and other diseases and disorders associated with MEK-1 and/or ERK-2 activation.

Abstract: The present invention is related to azolidinedione-vinyl fused-benzene derivatives of formula (I) for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of autoimmune disorders and/or inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, bacterial or viral infections, kidney diseases, platelet aggregation, cancer, graft rejection or lung injuries. Formula (I), wherein A, X, Y, Z, R1, R2 and n are as described in the description.

Abstract: This invention provides a computer based method for preparing a stem cell factor (SCF) analog comprising the steps of: (a) providing computer expression of the three dimensional structure of an SCF molecule using its crystal structure; (b) selecting from the computer expression of step (a) at least one site on the SCF molecule for alteration; (c) preparing a SCF molecule having an alteration at said at least one selected site; and (d) optionally, testing the SCF molecule for a desired characteristic. This invention also provides SCF analogs and SCF ligand analogs prepared according to the above-described method. Compositions comprising SCF analogs or SCF ligand analogs prepared according to the above-described method effective to treat a subject and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are provided, as are methods of treating a subject comprising administration of pharmaceutical compositions comprising the prepared SCF analogs and SCF ligand analogs prepared by the described methods.

Abstract: The inventors have designed novel FSH mutants with increased glycosylation and longer half-lives for use in inducing folliculogenesis in human patients. The use of a FSH mutant preparation of the invention permits the use of lower cumulative doses of FSH to achieve the same or better clinical result.

Abstract: A novel FSH mutant with increased glycosylation and longer half-lifes for use in inducing folliculogenesis in human patients is described. The FSH mutant permits the use of lower cumulative doses of FSH to achieve the same or better clinical result.

Abstract: Abstract of the Disclosure The present invention relates to methods of increasing protein expression levels whereby at least one amino acid in a protein amino acid sequence is substituted for the amino acid, proline. Preferably, the substitution occurs within 15 amino acids, more preferably within 10 amino acids and most preferably within 5 amino acids of a cysteine amino acid residue. The present invention not only includes methods for polypeptides with proline substitutions, but also polynucleotides with codon substitutions for which a codon for any amino acid, except proline, is substituted for a codon encoding for proline.

Abstract: The invention provides substituted pyrazolidinone compounds, and methods of treatment and pharmaceutical compositions that utilize or comprise one or more such compounds. Compounds of the invention are useful for a variety of therapies, including treating or preventing various cancers, inflammation, septic shock, preterm labor, infertility, pain, and ischemia, and other diseases and disorders associated with MEK-1 and/or ERK-2 activation.

Abstract: The present invention is related to azolidinedione-vinyl fused-benzene derivatives of formula (I) for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of autoimmune disorders and/or inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, bacterial or viral infections, kidney diseases, platelet aggregation, cancer, transplantation, graft rejection or lung injuries.