Method for targeting cells involved in sclerotic and/or fibrotic diseases

Abstract

A compound includes a carrier molecule wherein the carrier molecule is linked to a further molecule, wherein the further molecule is at least one cyclic peptide in which the cyclic peptide portion thereof contains at least one sequence encoding a cell receptor recognizing peptide (RRP) and with the proviso that the compound is not a naturally occurring receptor agonist or antagonist. Preferably, the RRP is a receptor specific for Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSC) or a receptor that is up-regulated on HSC during disease. The RFP may be chosen from among a PDGF receptor, a collagen type VI receptor, cytokine receptor(s) such as TGBβ, INFα and interleukinβ. The cyclic portion of the peptide can contain at least one amino acid sequence RGD or KPT. The compounds can be used as an active targeting ingredient for manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for therapy, prophylaxis or diagnosis of a disease chosen from fibrotic disease, sclerotic disease, and chronic or acute inflammatory processes including glomeruloscherosis, interstitial fibrosis, lung fibrosis, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns disease, colitis ulcerosa, glomerulonephritis and sepsis, and particularly for targeting HSC. Pharmaceutical compositions contain the above-compound(s).