Delta Biotechnology Limited

David J Ballance

Darrell Sleep

Andrew Robert Goodey

Edward Hinchliffe

Michael G Courtney

Peter J Senior

Christopher J A Finnis

Michael J Geisow

A method of modulating cellular proliferation by the application of a thymidine phosphorylase to an organism. In a further aspect of the subject method, the thymidine phosphorylase is a conjugate which includes a targeting portion adapted to target the conjugate to a specific cell type or anatomical location. The thymidine phosphorylase has a thymidine phosphorylase activity of at least about 5%, preferably at least about 50% and, most preferably, at least about 90%, of the native,enzyme.

Modulation of cellular proliferation with thymidine phosphorylase

A fusion polypeptide comprising, as at least part of the N-terminal portion thereof, an N-terminal portion of HSA or a variant thereof and, as at least part of the C-terminal portion thereof, another polypeptide except that, when the said N-terminal portion of HSA is the 1-n portion where n is 369 to 419 or a variant thereof then the said polypeptide is one of various specified entities. The HSA-like portion may have additional N-terminal residues, such as secretion leader sequences (signal sequences). The C-terminal portion is preferably the amino terminal fragment of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator. The N-terminal and C-terminal portions may be cleavable to yield the isolated C-terminal portion, with the N-terminal portion having served to facilitate secretion from the host. Such cleavage can be achieved in yeast using a sequence cleavable by the KEX2 protease of S. cerevisiae.

Polypeptides

Polypeptides corresponding to mature human serum albumin residues 1 to n, where n is between 369 and 419 inclusive, are useful as substitutes for albumin in the treatment of burns and shock in humans, the clearance of undesirable compounds, (such as bilirubin) from human blood, in laboratory growth media and in HSA assays. The polypeptides may be produced by recombinant DNA techniques, especially in yeast.

Truncated human serum albumin polypeptides as plasma expanding agents

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Attenborough, United Kingdom

David J Ballance