Trimeris, Inc.

Gene Merutka

Dennis Michael Lambert

Shawn Barney

Kelly I Guthrie

Mohmed K Anwer

Brian L Bray

Myung-Chol Kang

Peter W Jeffs

John William Lackey

Joel Burton Erickson

Catherine Mader

Maynard Lichty

Mary Katherine Lawless

The present invention relates to enhancer peptide sequences originally derived from various retroviral envelope (gp41) protein sequences that enhance the pharmacokinetic properties of any core polypeptide to which they are linked. The invention is based on the discovery that hybrid polypeptides comprising the enhancer peptide sequences linked to a core polypeptide possess enhanced pharmacokinetic properties such as increased half life. The invention further relates to methods for enhancing the pharmacokinetic properties of any core polypeptide through linkage of the enhancer peptide sequences to the core polypeptide. The core polypeptides to be used in the practice of the invention can include any pharmacologically useful peptide that can be used, for example, as a therapeutic or prophylactic reagent.

DNA encoding T-1249 and other viral fusion inhibitor peptides useful for treating aids

The present invention relates to peptides which exhibit potent anti-retroviral activity. The peptides of the invention comprise DP178 (SEQ ID:1) peptide corresponding to amino acids 638 to 673 of the HIV-1 gp41 protein, and fragments, analogs and homologs of DP178. The invention further relates to the uses of such peptides as inhibitory of human and non-human retroviral, especially HIV, transmission to uninfected cells.

Methods and compositions for inhibition of membrane fusion-associated events, including HIV transmission

Hybrid polypeptides with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties

The present invention relates, first, to methods for the synthesis of peptides, in particular T-20 (also referred to as 'DP-178'; SEQ ID NO:1) and T-20-like peptides. Such methods utilize solid and liquid phase synthesis procedures to synthesize and combine groups of specific peptide fragments to yield the peptide of interest. The present invention further relates to individual peptide fragments which act as intermediates in the synthesis of the peptides of interest (e.g., T-20). The present invention still further relates to groups of such peptide intermediate fragments which can be utilized together to produce full length T-20 and T-20-like peptides.

Methods and compositions for peptide synthesis

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Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Gene Merutka