Peptides and pharmaceutical compositions comprising same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an NST500 compound of general formula (I): comprising the following components: X—X—{(X)/X/X}—X, wherein: Xstands for a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid residue comprising 6–20 carbon atoms; or a cysteine residue bound through a thioether bond to a prenyl group comprising 5–20 carbon atoms; said residue being linked to the adjacent component of the compound through an amide bond; Xis 0; Xcomprises 1–6 amino acids, of which 1–6 are positively charged and 0–2 are negatively charged, the other amino acid residues being polar uncharged amino acids; Xcomprises 1–6 amino acids, of which 1–2 are aromatic amino acids, the other amino acids being selected among polar uncharged amino acids and hydrophobic aliphatic amino acids; Xcomprises 6–8 amino acids, of which 4–6 are positively charged and 0–2 are negatively charged, the other amino acid residues being polar uncharged amino acids, wherein the amino acids form a cyclic structure; Xis a compound of general formula II, wherein Z stands for a spacer group selected among alkane and alkene containing 1–5 carbon atoms, J stands for a functional group selected among amines, thiols, alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters, aldehydes and alkyl halides; U is 0 or is selected among a labeling group; wherein a stands for an integer of 1–3; and the groups X, Xand Xbeing located at various places in the compound; as well as functional equivalents thereof and/or compounds having the same biological activity thereto. The present also relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods of using the same.