Cyclacel Limited

University Court of the University of Dundee

Robin Fahraeus

David Philip Lane

Christopher Gregory Proud

Terrence Patrick Herbert

We claim a therapeutic method of inducing programmed cell death comprising administering to a recipient a peptide of 10&#x2013;25 amino acids, comprising the sequence: (KR)xxYxxx(F/Q)L(L/M) wherein x is any amino acid.

Use of peptides

The present disclosure identifies substances having the property of binding to cyclin dependent kinase (cdk) comprising: (i) a peptide including amino acid residue 84 to 103 of full length p16 protein, or an active portion or derivative thereof; or (ii) a functional mimetic of the fragment, active portion or derivative; the substance excludes full length p16, p15, p18 and p19 proteins. These substances are useful in tumor suppression by inhibiting the phosphorylation of Rb protein. Also described herein is the resolution of the amino acid motifs responsible for binding cdks, an FLD motif, corresponding to amino acid residues 90 to 92 of full length p16 protein, and an LVVL motif, corresponding to amino acid residues 94 to 97 of full length p16 protein. The substances disclosed herein can be used in the treatment of hyperproliferative disorders and to screen and design molecules having the similar properties.

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Dundee, United Kingdom

Robin Fahraeus