Renovo Limited

Mark William James Ferguson

Sharon O'Kane

Hugh Gerard Laverty

Nick Occleston

Phillip Mellors

Emma Atkinson

Ardeshir Bayat

Sally Freeman

Mamta Shah

Georg Brunner

Sarah Glenys Moore

Simon Higginbottom

William Ernest Royce Ollier

Gillian Sarah Ashcroft

The invention provides TGF-&#x3b2;3s, or fragments or derivatives thereof, wherein the alpha-helix-forming domain between amino acid residues (58) and (67) of full-length wild type TGF-&#x3b2;3 comprises at least one alpha-helix-stabilizing substitution. The invention also provides TGF-&#x3b2;3s, or fragments or derivatives thereof, wherein the Glycine residue at position (63) of full-length wild type TGF-&#x3b2;3 is replaced with Proline. Further still, the invention provides TGF-&#x3b2;3s, or fragments or derivatives thereof, comprising a substitution of the Glutamic acid residue at position (12) of full-length wild type TGF-&#x3b2;3 and/or the Arginine residue at position (52) of full-length wild type TGF-&#x3b2;3. The invention also provides medicaments and methods of treatment using such TGF-&#x3b2;3s.

TGF-&#x3b2;3 mutants

There is provided the use of monomeric TGF-&#x3b2;s, or there fragments or derivatives, as medicaments. These medicaments preferably comprise monomeric TGF-&#x3b2;3, or fragments or derivatives thereof. The medicaments provided may be used in the acceleration of wounding and/or the inhibition of scarring, in the promotion of epithelial regeneration, or in the prevention and/or treatment of fibrotic disorders.

Medicaments and proteins based on TGF-&#x3b2; monomers for the treatment of wounds

The present invention concerns a method for folding a Transforming Growth Factor Beta, or a functional analogue thereof, into a dimeric, biologically active form. The method involves adding solubilized, unfolded monomeric growth factor to a solution containing 2-(cyclohexylamino)-ethanesulfonic acid (CHES) or a functional analogue thereof and a low molecular weight sulfhydryl/disulfide redox system. The solution is then incubated under conditions suitable for generating dimeric biologically active Transforming Growth Factor Beta.

Protein folding

The present invention provides compositions and methods for promoting the healing of wounds or fibrotic disorders with reduced scarring, comprising inhibitors and inhibiting IFN-&#x3b3;, together with compositions and methods for promoting the healing of chronic wounds, comprising stimulating and stimulators of IFN-&#x3b3;.

Method of promoting the healing of a chronic wound

The present invention relates to use of convertase inhibitors for the reduction of scarring during the healing of wounds and also for reducing fibrosis in the treatment of fibrotic conditions.

Use of &#x2014;furin&#x2014;'convertase' inhibitors in the treatment of fibrosis and scarring

The present invention relates to an in vitro method for diagnosing or detecting a predisposition to a condition at least partially characterised by inappropriate fibrosis or scarring (e.g. Dupuytren's Disease). The method comprises examining the ZF9 gene, and regulatory elements thereof, derived from a subject of interest to detect the presence of a genetic poylmorphism or mutation in said gene which is linked with the condition.

Genetic polymorphism in the Zf9 gene linked to inappropriate scarring or fibrosis

Pharmaceutical composition containing inhibitors of interferon-&#x3b3;

The present invention concerns analogues of M6P for use in promoting the healing of wounds or fibrotic disorders with reduced scarring, together with methods for doing same.

Pharmaceutical composition

A healing composition containing at least one non-fibrotic growth factor in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is disclosed. A method of preparation of the composition and method of treating a host, suffering from a wound or fibrotic condition, disease, disorder with the composition is also disclosed.

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Manchester, United Kingdom

Mark William James Ferguson