Abstract: Provided is a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease associated with upregulated periostin expression or periostin splice variant switching, which pharmaceutical composition comprises, as an active ingredient, a nucleic acid capable of inducing skipping of exon 17 in periostin gene transcription and/or a nucleic acid capable of inducing skipping of exon 21 in periostin gene transcription. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can treat a disease associated with upregulated periostin expression or periostin splice variant switching, while preventing complete inhibition of the functions of periostin.

Abstract: An object is to provide a novel antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof against exon 21 of human periostin. The object is achieved by an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof bindable to a conformational epitope on human periostin, wherein the epitope contains the amino acid sequence A represented by SEQ ID NO: 61 and the amino acid sequence B represented by any one of SEQ ID NOs: 62 to 64.

Abstract: Provided is a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease associated with upregulated periostin expression or periostin splice variant switching, which pharmaceutical composition comprises, as an active ingredient, a nucleic acid capable of inducing skipping of exon 17 in periostin gene transcription and/or a nucleic acid capable of inducing skipping of exon 21 in periostin gene transcription. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can treat a disease associated with upregulated periostin expression or periostin splice variant switching, while preventing complete inhibition of the functions of periostin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug for preventing or treating inflammation-associated diseases in which a periostin isoform having cell adhesion activity is involved, and also provides an inhibitor of a periostin isoform having cell adhesion activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug for preventing or treating inflammation-associated diseases in which a periostin isoform having cell adhesion activity is involved, and also provides an inhibitor of a periostin isoform having cell adhesion activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug for preventing or treating inflammation-associated diseases in which a periostin isoform having cell adhesion activity is involved, and also provides an inhibitor of a periostin isoform having cell adhesion activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody against a periostin isoform having anti-cell adhesive activity, especially an anti-periostin antibody having the ability to neutralize anti-cell adhesive properties, as well as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for periostin-related diseases comprising the antibody. The present invention also provides methods for detecting and quantifying the periostin isoform in a sample by using the antibody, as well as a method for diagnosing periostin-related diseases comprising measuring the amount of the periostin isoform by the detection or quantification method.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody against a periostin isoform having anti-cell adhesive activity, especially an anti-periostin antibody having the ability to neutralize anti-cell adhesive properties, as well as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for periostin-related diseases comprising the antibody. The present invention also provides methods for detecting and quantifying the periostin isoform in a sample by using the antibody, as well as a method for diagnosing periostin-related diseases comprising measuring the amount of the periostin isoform by the detection or quantification method.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody against a periostin isoform having anti-cell adhesive activity, especially an anti-periostin antibody having the ability to neutralize anti-cell adhesive properties, as well as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for periostin-related diseases comprising the antibody. The present invention also provides methods for detecting and quantifying the periostin isoform in a sample by using the antibody, as well as a method for diagnosing periostin-related diseases comprising measuring the amount of the periostin isoform by the detection or quantification method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of identifying a drug candidate capable of removing peptide, oligopeptide, polypeptide or protein from fibril or aggregate, which includes measuring, in the presence of a test compound, the concentration of a soluble peptide, a soluble oligopeptide, a soluble polypeptide or a soluble protein in an equilibrium state in a solvent. Moreover, the present invention provides a dissolution promoter to remove peptide, oligopeptide, polypeptide or protein from fibril or aggregate, which contains the compound obtained by the identification method as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody against a periostin isoform having anti-cell adhesive activity, especially an anti-periostin antibody having the ability to neutralize anti-cell adhesive properties, as well as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for periostin-related diseases comprising the antibody. The present invention also provides methods for detecting and quantifying the periostin isoform in a sample by using the antibody, as well as a method for diagnosing periostin-related diseases comprising measuring the amount of the periostin isoform by the detection or quantification method.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there are provided an ultrasonic drug delivery method and an ultrasonic drug delivery apparatus each capable of performing more localized and efficient drug-delivery with the aid of ultrasonic irradiation under static pressure, which increases the effect of drug delivery to deep tissue parts in treatment by ultrasonic irradiation to a living body for delivery of drugs such as nucleic acids (such as DNA, RNA, decoys, and RNAi), proteins and pharmaceutical compounds, and there is also provided a medical diagnostic imaging apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides highly useful clinical methods for treating skin disorders, particularly intractable skin disorders. Specifically, the methods comprise injecting/subcutaneously introducing a 10 ?g to 10 mg dose of a polynucleotide, such as a DNA, oligonucleotide, RNA, siRNA, and antisense, around a lesion associated with a skin disorder, such as a wound, cutaneous ulcer, or psoriasis, using a needleless syringe that injects a pharmaceutical liquid by using gas pressure or the elastic force of an elastic member to drive a piston.

Abstract: The present invention provides a needleless syringe having, accommodated therein, a pharmaceutical preparation containing genes and/or analogues thereof. A needleless syringe comprising: a medical agent chamber 22 having one or multiple nozzle bore(s) 25 and accommodated with a medical agent L, and a syringe main body 12 being provided with pressure application means 32 to apply pressure on the medical agent L toward a direction of the nozzle bore(s) 25 and effect emission of the medical agent L through the nozzle bore(s) 25, wherein the medical agent L is a pharmaceutical preparation containing genes and/or analogues thereof. Examples of the medical agent L include pharmaceutical preparation containing HGF gene and pharmaceutical preparation containing NF-?B decoy oligonucleotide.

Abstract: This invention enables the repair of cardiac function by noninvasive administration of an HGF gene in the form of Sendai virus (HVJ)-liposome into the affected cardiac muscle, thereby inducing angiogenesis of the cardiac muscle layer and repressing fibrosis.

Abstract: A composition for delivering a biologically active agent to a specific site in the living body comprises microbubble-encapsulated albumin microspheres containing perfluorocarbon. The biologically active agent is preferably at least one agent selected from the group consisting of oligonucleotides, antisense oligonucleotides, triple helix-forming oligonucleotides, oligonucleotide probes, nucleotide vectors, viral vectors, and plasmids. When the composition is used, the specific site is exposed to ultrasound so that the biologically active agent can be incorporated in the specific site.

Abstract: Flake- or sliver-like porous structures of a polymeric material heavily loaded with a finely divided inorganic substance are prepared by spurting a mixture of the polymeric and finely divided inorganic components in a solvent. The products have many fine, irregular voids. The thickness of walls forming such voids is 5.mu. or less. The products are especially useful for producing sheet-like structures therefrom by beating and/or refining them followed by general paper making procedures. The sheets, when calendered, have a high initial modulus and improved dimensional stability.