Peptides and their use

• US 9,169,290 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NovaBiotics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NovaBiotics Ltd.
• Inventors: O'Neil, Deborah
• Primary Examiner(s): Steele, Amber D
• Application Number:
  US12/525,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20100184696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,829 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/08 Peptides having 5 to 11 amino acids A61K38/043 - A61K38/046 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/10 Peptides having 12 to 20 amino acids A61K38/043 - A61K38/046 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/02 Nasal agents, e.g. decongestants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/10 Antimycotics
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 7/06 having 5 to 11 amino acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 7/08 having 12 to 20 amino acids gastrins C07K14/595; somatostatins C07K14/655; melanotropins C07K14/68

Abstract

The present invention relates to peptides for use as antifungal agents. The peptides comprise a sequence of 5 to 15 basic amino acids wherein substantially all of the amino acids in said sequence are the same.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment or alleviation of a fungal infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a peptide or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the peptide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a peptide consisting of a sequence of 11 to 15 contiguous arginine residues; and

(b) a peptide consisting of a sequence having 1 or 2 amino acid substitutions to the sequence recited in (a).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fungal infection is a dermatophyte infection.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fungal infection is a non-dermatophyte infection.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the non-dermatophyte infection is caused by a fungus selected from the group consisting of Absidia species, Aspergillus species, Cryptococcus species, Malassezia species, Candida species, Rhizomucor species, Saccharomyces species, Hansenula species, Fusarium species, Mucor species, Trichosporon species, Rhodotorula species, Pichia species, Rhizopus species, Penicillium species, and Blastoschizomyces species.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fungus is selected from the group consisting of:

Aspergillus species, Fusarium species, Candida species, Alternaria species, Penicillium species, Scopulariopsis species, Malassezia species, and Cryptococcus species.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the fungus is Candida species.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the fungal infection is a systemic mycosis.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the systemic mycosis is selected from the group consisting of:

histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, aspergillosis, candidiasis, fusariosis, cryptococcosis, phaeohyphomycosis, hyalohyphomycosis, fungemia, mucormycosis, alternariosis, trichosporonosis and chromomycosis.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the systemic mycosis is an opportunistic mycosis selected from the group consisting of:

aspergillosis, alternariosis, candidiasis, fusariosis, and cryptococcosis.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the fungal infection is selected from the group consisting of:

pneumonia, oropharyngeal candidiasis, esophageal candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, cerebral infection, rhinosinusitis, pulmonary cryptococcosis, meningitis, rhinocerebral mucormycosis and pulmonary mucormycosis.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fungal infection is a nosocomial disorder.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the peptide or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is formulated for inhalation.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the peptide or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is formulated for parental administration.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the peptide is linear.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the peptide consists of D-amino acids.

14. A method for the treatment of a fungal infection in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a peptide or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the peptide consists of 11 to 15 contiguous arginine residues.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fungal infection is caused by a fungus selected from the group consisting of:

Aspergillus species, Fusarium species, Candida species, Alternaria species, Penicillium species, Scopulariopsis species, Malassezia species, and Cryptococcus species.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the fungal infection is caused by a fungus selected from the group consisting of:

Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicales, Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Cryptococcus neoformans, Fusarium solani, Malassezia furfur, and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the peptide is linear.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the peptide consists of D-amino acids.