University of California

Codon Genetic Engineering Laboratories

Marc A Shuman

Michael John Morser

A therapeutic compound comprises a KGD-containing peptide, tandem repeats thereof, combinations thereof, or combinations thereof with an RGD-containing peptide or tandem repeats thereof, or peptide analogues or non-peptide organic analogues of the RGD and KGD tripeptides, and a pharmaceutical agent. A therapeutic composition comprises the compound of this invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A polydeoxyribonucleotide comprises a DNA sequence, and a polyribonucleotide comprises an RNA sequence, encoding the compound of the invention, where the pharmaceutical agent is a peptide. A self-replicating DNA carries the polydeoxyribonucleotide described above and a transformed host cell comprises the self-replicating DNA. Therapeutic platelets are loaded with a therapeutic compound comprising a peptide comprising RGD or KGD, peptide analogues or organic analogues thereof, tandem repeats thereof, or combinations thereof, and a pharmaceutical agent operatively linked to the peptide. A method of delivering a pharmaceutical agent to a site afflicted with a disease comprises administering an effective amount of the therapeutic platelets or the therapeutic compound comprising RGD or KGD and a pharmaceutical agent. When the method is applied to preventing or countering vascular thrombosis or atherosclerosis, the pharmaceutical agent comprises an anti-thrombotic or an anti-atherosclerotic agent or active fragments thereof, respectively, and the peptide comprises an RGD or KGD peptide or, peptide analogues or organic analogues thereof, combinations thereof.

Platelet specific therapeutic compound and method of treating

Methods for detecting fibrin or fibrin clots in a host suspected of producing fibrin by: introducing labeled tissue plasminogen activator or a binding site fragment derived therefrom into the host's bloodstream and assaying for the presence of concentrations of labeled tissue plasminogen activator in said host. Also provided are kits for practicing the invention.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Marc A Shuman