Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
  • C07K14/575—Hormones
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P7/00—Drugs for disorders of the blood or the extracellular fluid
  • A61P7/06—Antianaemics
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K7/00—Peptides having 5 to 20 amino acids in a fully defined sequence; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K7/04—Linear peptides containing only normal peptide links
  • C07K7/06—Linear peptides containing only normal peptide links having 5 to 11 amino acids
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K7/00—Peptides having 5 to 20 amino acids in a fully defined sequence; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K7/04—Linear peptides containing only normal peptide links
  • C07K7/08—Linear peptides containing only normal peptide links having 12 to 20 amino acids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K38/00—Medicinal preparations containing peptides
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K2319/00—Fusion polypeptide

Definitions

• the present invention relates, inter alia, to certain hepcidin peptide analogues, including both peptide monomers and peptide dimers, and conjugates and derivatives thereof, as well as compositions comprising the peptide analogues, and to the use of the peptide analogues in the treatment and/or prevention of a variety of diseases, conditions or disorders, including treatment and/or prevention of iron overload diseases such as hereditary hemochromatosis, iron-loading anemias, and other conditions and disorders described herein.
• iron overload diseases such as hereditary hemochromatosis, iron-loading anemias, and other conditions and disorders described herein.
• Hepcidin also referred to as LEAP-1
• LEAP-1 a peptide hormone produced by the liver
• Hepcidin acts by binding to its receptor, the iron export channel ferroportin, causing its internalization and degradation.
• Human hepcidin is a 25-amino acid peptide (Hep25). See Krause et al. (2000) FEBS Lett 480: 147-150, and Park et al. (2001) J Biol Chem 276:7806-7810.
• the structure of the bioactive 25-amino acid form of hepcidin is a simple hairpin with 8 cysteines that form 4 disulfide bonds as described by Jordan et al.
• HH hereditary hemochromatosis
• Fetherosis is a genetic iron overload disease that is mainly caused by hepcidin deficiency or in some cases by hepcidin resistance. This allows excessive absorption of iron from the diet and development of iron overload.
• Clinical manifestations of HH may include liver disease (e.g., hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma), diabetes, and heart failure.
• liver disease e.g., hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma
• diabetes e.g., chronic myethelial cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma
• heart failure Currently, the only treatment for HH is regular phlebotomy, which is very burdensome for the patients.
• Iron-loading anemias are hereditary anemias with ineffective erythropoiesis such as ⁇ - thalassemia, which are accompanied by severe iron overload. Complications from iron overload are the main cause of morbidity and mortality for these patients. Hepcidin deficiency is the main cause of iron overload in non-transfused patients, and contributes to iron overload in transfused patients. The current treatment for iron overload in these patients is iron chelation which is very burdensome, sometimes ineffective, and accompanied by frequent side effects. [0005] Hepcidin has a number of limitations which restrict its use as a drug, including a difficult synthesis process due in part to aggregation and precipitation of the protein during folding, which in turn leads to high cost of goods.
• the present invention addresses such needs, providing novel peptide analogues, including both peptide monomer analogues and peptide dimer analogues, having hepcidin activity and also having other beneficial properties making the peptides of the present invention suitable alternatives to hepcidin.
• the present invention generally relates to peptide analogues, including both monomer and dimers, exhibiting hepcidin activity and methods of using the same.
• the invention provides peptides, which may be isolated and/or purified, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, the following structural formula I:
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is OH or NH 2 ;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula la: X1-X2-X3-X4-X5-X6-X7-X8-X9-X10 (la) (SEQ ID NO:2)
• XI is Asp, Ser, Glu, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Lys, Glu, Pro, Ala or absent;
• X3 is His, Ala, or Glu
• X4 is Phe, He or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Val, Glu, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys or (D)-Cys
• X7 is absent or any amino acid except He, Cys or (D)-Cys;
• X8 is absent or any amino acid except Cys or (D)-Cys;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Thr, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent;
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent
• Y is absent or present
• Y is a peptide having the formula Im:
• Yl is Gly, PEG3, Sarc, Lys, Glu, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Cys, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, Trp or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Gly, Trp, Ala, His, Glu, Tyr or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Ser, Arg, Ala or absent
• Y6 is Gly, Sarc, Glu, Lys, Arg, Ser, Lys, He, Ala, Pro, Val or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, Lys, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Trp, His, Thr, Gly, Cys, Met, Tyr, Ala, Glu, Lys, Asp, Arg or absent;
• Y9 is Val, Asp, Asn, Cys, Tyr or absent;
• Y10 is Cys, Met, Lys, Arg, Tyr or absent;
• Yl 1 is Arg, Met, Cys, Lys or absent; and
• Y12 is Arg, Lys, Ala or absent.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue peptide of formula la, wherein X5 is Pro, bhPro, Val, Glu, Sarc, Gly, or any N-methylated amino acid.
• the invention provides peptides, which may be isolated and/or purified, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of formula I, wherein X is a peptide sequence having the formula lb:
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Lys, Glu, Pro, Ala or absent;
• X3 is His, Ala, or Glu
• X4 is Phe, He or Dpa;
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys
• X7 is absent or any amino acid except He, Cys or (D)-Cys;
• X8 is absent or any amino acid except Cys or (D)-Cys;
• X9 is Phe, He, Tyr, bhPhe or D-Phe or absent; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; and
• Y is absent or present, provided that if Y is present, Y is a peptide having formula In:
• Yl is Gly, PEG3, Sarc, Lys, Glu, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Gly or absent
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Glu or absent
• Y5 is Lys, Ser, Met, Arg, Ala or absent;
• Y6 is Gly, Sarc, Glu, Leu, Phe, His or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, N-Methyl Trp, Lys, Thr, His, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Trp, Ala, Asn, Glu or absent;
• Y9 is Val, Ala, Asn, Asp, Cys or absent;
• Y 10 is Cys, (D)Cys, Glu or absent;
• Yl 1 is Tyr, Met or absent
• Y12 is Trp or absent.
• the invention provides peptides, which may be isolated and/or purified, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, the following structural formula II:
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is OH or NH 2 ;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula Ila: X1-X2-X3-X4-X5-X6-X7-X8-X9-X10 (Ila) (SEQ ID NO:5)
• XI is Asp, Glu or Ida
• X2 is Thr, Ser or absent
• X3 is His
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys or D-Cys
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, He, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent;
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent;
• X9 is Phe, Tyr, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; and
• Y is absent or present, provided that if Y is present, Y is a peptide having the formula Ilm:
• Yl is Gly, Sarc, Lys, Glu or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Glu or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Ser, Met, Arg, Ala or absent;
• Y6 is Gly, Sarc, Glu, Leu, Phe, His or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, N-MethylTrp, Lys, Thr, His, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Trp, Ala, Asn, Glu or absent; Y9 is Cys;
• X6 in formula Ila is Cys.
• X7 in formula Ila is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent.
• Y10 is absent.
• Yl 1 is absent.
• Y12 is absent.
• the invention provides peptide homo- or heterodimers, which may be isolated and/or purified, comprising two hepcidin analogues, each hepcidin analogue comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of the structure of Formula I, the structure of Formula II, the structure of Formula III, the structure of Formula IV, the structure of Formula V, the structure of Formula VI, the structure of Formula VII, the structure of Formula VIII, the Structure of Formula IX, the structure of Formula X, or a sequence or structure shown in any one of Tables 2-4, 6-10, 12, 14, or 15, provided that when the dimer comprises a hepcidin analogue having the structure of Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, or Formula VI, the two hepcidin analogues are linked via a lysine linker.
• a hepcidin analogue dimer of the present invention is dimerized by more than one means.
• a hepcidin analogue dimer of the present invention is dimerized by at least one mtermolecular disulfide bridge and at least one linker moiety (e.g., an IDA linker, such as an IDA-Palm).
• a hepcidin analogue dimer of the present invention is dimerized by at least one mtermolecular disulfide bridge and at least one linker moiety (e.g., an IDA linker, such as an IDA-Palm), wherein the linker moiety is attached to a lysine residue in each of the peptide monomers.
• linker moiety e.g., an IDA linker, such as an IDA-Palm
• one or both hepcidin analogue has the Formula III:
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a Cl- C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions thereof, alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is -NH 2 or -OH
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Ilia)
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ala, Gly, Thr, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, D-Asp, Tyr, Leu or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, Aib, D-Thr, Arg or absent;
• X3 is His, Lys, Ala, or D-His
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa or bhPhe;
• X5 is Pro, Glu, Ser, Gly, Arg, Lys, Val, Ala, D-Pro, bhPro, Sarc, Abu or absent;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Leu, Lys, His, Glu, D-Ile, D-Arg, D-Cys, Val, Ser or Ala;
• X7 is Cys, He, Ala, Leu, Val, Ser, Phe, Dapa, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, or Dapa
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent
• Y is absent or present, and when present, Y is a peptide having the formula (Illm) Y1-Y2-Y3-Y4-Y5-Y6-Y7-Y8-Y9-Y10-Y11-Y12-Y13-Y14-Y15 (Illm) (SEQ ID NO:9) [0044] wherein
• Yl is Gly, Cys, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Cys, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, Trp or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Gly, Trp, Ala, His, Tyr or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg, Ala or absent
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He, Arg, Ala, Pro, Val or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, Lys, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Gly, Cys, Met, Tyr, Ala, Glu, Lys, Asp, Arg or absent;
• Y9 is Cys, Tyr or absent
• Y10 is Met, Lys, Arg, Tyr or absent
• Yl 1 is Arg, Met, Cys, Lys or absent
• Y12 is Arg, Lys, Ala or absent
• Y13 is Arg, Cys, Lys, Val or absent
• Y14 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Cys, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Thr, Arg or absent
• one or both hepcidin analogue has the structure of Formula (IV):
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• ft 2 is -NH 2 or -OH;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVa)
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ala, Gly, Thr, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp, D-Asp, Tyr, Leu or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, Aib, D-Thr, Arg or absent;
• X3 is His, Lys, Ala, or D-His;
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa, bhPhe or D-Phe;
• X5 is Pro, Glu, Ser, Gly, Arg, Lys, Val, Ala, D-Pro, bhPro, Sarc, Abu or absent;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Leu, Lys, His, Glu, D-Ile, D-Arg , D-Cys, Val, Ser or Ala;
• X7 is Cys, He, Ala, Leu, Val, Ser, Phe, Dapa, D-Ile or D-Cys
• X8 is He, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg or Dapa;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent;
• Y is present or absent, and provided that if Y is absent, X7 is He; and [0054] Y is a peptide having the formula (IVm):
• Yl is Gly, Cys, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Cys, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, Trp or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Gly, Trp, Ala, His, Tyr or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg, Ala or absent;
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He, Arg, Ala, Pro, Val or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, Lys, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Gly, Cys, Met, Tyr, Ala, Glu, Lys, Asp, Arg or absent;
• Y9 is Cys, Tyr or absent
• Y10 is Met, Lys, Arg, Tyr or absent;
• Yl 1 is Arg, Met, Cys, Lys or absent;
• Y12 is Arg, Lys, Ala or absent
• Y13 is Arg, Cys, Lys, Val or absent
• Y14 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Cys, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Thr, Arg or absent; [0056] wherein said compound of formula (IV) is optionally PEGylated on R 1 , X, or Y; and
• one or both hepcidin analogue has the structure of Formula V: ⁇ ⁇ - ⁇ - ⁇ 2 (V) (SEQ ID NO:13)
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is -NH 2 or -OH;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Va):
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ala, Gly, Thr, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp, D-Asp, Tyr, Leu or absent
• X2 is Thr, Ala, Aib, D-Thr, Arg or absent
• X3 is His, Lys, Ala, D-His or Lys
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa, bhPhe or D-Phe;
• X5 is Pro, Glu, Ser, Gly, Arg, Lys, Val, Ala, D-Pro, bhPro, Sarc, Abu or absent;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Leu, Lys, His, Glu, D-Ile, D-Arg, D-Cys, Val, Ser or Ala;
• X7 is Cys, He, Ala, Leu, Val, Ser, Phe, Dapa, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, or Dapa;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent;
• one or both hepcidin analogue has the structure of formula VI:
• R J -X-Y-R 2 (VI) (SEQ ID NO: 15) [0068] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein [0069] wherein R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• ft 2 is -NH 2 or -OH;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Via):
• X1-X2-X3-X4-X5-X6-X7-X8-X9-X10 (Via) (SEQ ID NO: 16) [0072] wherein XI is Asp, Glu, Ida or absent; X2 is Thr, Ser, Pro, Ala or absent; X3 is His, Ala, or Glu; X4 is Phe or Dpa; X5 is Pro, bhPro, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys, (D)-Cys, Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent;
• X7 is Cys, (D)-Cys, Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent;
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Thr, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent;
• Y is absent or present, provided that if Y is present, Y is a peptide having the formula (Vim)
• Yl is He, Arg, Lys, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent;
• Y2 is Phe, Ala, He, Thr, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe or absent;
• Y3 is Lys, Phe or absent.
• the present invention provides peptide homo- or heterodimers, which may be isolated and/or purified, comprising two hepcidin analogues, each hepcidin analogue comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of the structure of Formula I or the structure of Formula II, wherein the two hepcidin analogues are linked via an Ida linker (e.g., an IDA-Palm linker), wherein the Ida linker is attached to a lysine (e.g., via a lysine sidechain) in each of the two hepcidin analogues.
• an Ida linker e.g., an IDA-Palm linker
• the dimer is a homodimer, and in another embodiment, the dimer is a heterodimer.
• the present invention includes polynucleotide comprising a sequence encoding a hepcidin analogue described herein.
• the present invention includes a vector comprising a polynucleotide comprising a sequence encoding a hepcidin analogue described herein.
• the present invention includes a pharmaceutical composition
• a pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide or hepcidin analogue described herein, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient or vehicle.
• the present invention includes method of binding a ferroportin or inducing ferroportin internalization and degradation, comprising contacting the ferroportin with at least one peptide or hepcidin analogue described herein.
• the present invention includes a method for treating a disease of iron metabolism in a subject comprising providing to the subject an effective amount of at least one peptide or hepcidin analogue described herein.
• the present invention includes a device comprising a peptide or hepcidin analogue described herein, for delivery of the hepcidin analogue, dimer or composition to a subject.
• the present invention includes a kit comprising at least one peptide or hepcidin analogue described herein, packaged with a reagent, a device, or an instructional material, or a combination thereof.
• the sequences of the hepcidin analogue monomer peptides used in this experiment are shown in Table 14.
• the present invention relates generally to hepcidin analogue peptides and methods of making and using the same.
• the hepcidin analogues exhibit one or more hepcidin activity.
• the present invention relates to hepcidin peptide analogues comprising one or more peptide subunit that forms a cyclized structures through an intramolecular bond, e.g., an intramolecular disulfide bond.
• the cyclized structure has increased potency and selectivity as compared to non-cyclized hepcidin peptides and analogies thereof.
• the term “including” is used to mean “including but not limited to.” “Including” and “including but not limited to” are used interchangeably.
• the terms “patient,” “subject,” and “individual” may be used interchangeably and refer to either a human or a non-human animal. These terms include mammals such as humans, primates, livestock animals (e.g., bovines, porcines), companion animals (e.g., canines, felines) and rodents (e.g., mice and rats).
• livestock animals e.g., bovines, porcines
• companion animals e.g., canines, felines
• rodents e.g., mice and rats.
• mouse and rats rodents
• peptide refers broadly to a sequence of two or more amino acids joined together by peptide bonds. It should be understood that this term does not connote a specific length of a polymer of amino acids, nor is it intended to imply or distinguish whether the polypeptide is produced using recombinant techniques, chemical or enzymatic synthesis, or is naturally occurring.
• peptide analogue refers broadly to peptide monomers and peptide dimers comprising one or more structural features and/or functional activities in common with hepcidin, or a functional region thereof.
• a peptide analogue includes peptides sharing substantial amino acid sequence identity with hepcidin, e.g., peptides that comprise one or more amino acid insertions, deletions, or substitutions as compared to a wild-type hepcidin, e.g., human hepcidin, amino acid sequence.
• a peptide analogue comprises one or more additional modification, such as, e.g., conjugation to another compound.
• peptide analogue is any peptide monomer or peptide dimer of the present invention.
• a “peptide analog” may also or alternatively be referred to herein as a “hepcidin analogue,” “hepcidin peptide analogue,” or a “hepcidin analogue peptide.”
• sequence identity refers to the extent that sequences are identical on a nucleotide-by-nucleotide basis or an amino acid-by-amino acid basis over a window of comparison.
• a "percentage of sequence identity” may be calculated by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over the window of comparison, determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base (e.g., A, T, C, G, I) or the identical amino acid residue (e.g., Ala, Pro, Ser, Thr, Gly, Val, Leu, He, Phe, Tyr, Trp, Lys, Arg, His, Asp, Glu, Asn, Gin, Cys and Met) occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison (i.e., the window size), and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity.
• the identical nucleic acid base e.g., A, T, C, G, I
• the identical amino acid residue e.g., Ala, Pro, Ser, Thr, Gly, Val, Leu, He, Phe, Tyr, Trp, Lys, Arg,
• sequence similarity or sequence identity between sequences can be performed as follows.
• the sequences can be aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-homologous sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes).
• the length of a reference sequence aligned for comparison purposes is at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 50%>, 60%>, and even more preferably at least 70%>, 80%>, 90%>, 100%) of the length of the reference sequence.
• amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position.
• the percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.
• the comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm.
• the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch, (1970, J. Mol. Biol. 48: 444-453) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package, using either a Blossum 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package, using an NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• Another exemplary set of parameters includes a Blossum 62 scoring matrix with a gap penalty of 12, a gap extend penalty of 4, and a frameshift gap penalty of 5.
• the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences can also be determined using the algorithm of E. Meyers and W. Miller (1989, Cabios, 4: 11-17) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.
• Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402, 1997).
• the default parameters of the respective programs e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST can be used.
• substitution denotes that one or more amino acids are replaced by another, biologically similar residue. Examples include substitution of amino acid residues with similar characteristics, e.g., small amino acids, acidic amino acids, polar amino acids, basic amino acids, hydrophobic amino acids and aromatic amino acids. See, for example, the table below.
• one or more Met residues are substituted with norleucine (Nle) which is a bioisostere for Met, but which, as opposed to Met, is not readily oxidized.
• Another example of a conservative substitution with a residue normally not found in endogenous, mammalian peptides and proteins is the conservative substitution of Arg or Lys with, for example, ornithine, canavanine, aminoethylcysteine or another basic amino acid.
• one or more cysteines of a peptide analogue of the invention may be substituted with another residue, such as a serine.
• conservative substitutions of amino acids are grouped by physicochemical properties. I: neutral, hydrophilic, II: acids and amides, III: basic, IV: hydrophobic, V: aromatic, bulky amino acids.
• amino acid or "any amino acid” as used here refers to any and all amino acids, including naturally occurring amino acids (e.g., a-amino acids), unnatural amino acids, modified amino acids, and non-natural amino acids. It includes both D- and L-amino acids. Natural amino acids include those found in nature, such as, e.g., the 23 amino acids that combine into peptide chains to form the building-blocks of a vast array of proteins. These are primarily L stereoisomers, although a few D-amino acids occur in bacterial envelopes and some antibiotics. The 20 "standard,” natural amino acids are listed in the above tables.
• non-standard natural amino acids are pyrrolysine (found in methanogenic organisms and other eukaryotes), selenocysteine (present in many noneukaryotes as well as most eukaryotes), and N-formylmethionine (encoded by the start codon AUG in bacteria, mitochondria and chloroplasts).
• "Unnatural” or “non-natural” amino acids are non- proteinogenic amino acids (i.e., those not naturally encoded or found in the genetic code) that either occur naturally or are chemically synthesized. Over 140 natural amino acids are known and thousands of more combinations are possible.
• unnatural amino acids include ⁇ -amino acids ( ⁇ 3 and ⁇ 2 ), homo-amino acids, proline and pyruvic acid derivatives, 3- substituted alanine derivatives, glycine derivatives, ring-substituted phenylalanine and tyrosine derivatives, linear core amino acids, diamino acids, D-amino acids, and N-methyl amino acids.
• Unnatural or non-natural amino acids also include modified amino acids.
• Modified amino acids include amino acids (e.g., natural amino acids) that have been chemically modified to include a group, groups, or chemical moiety not naturally present on the amino acid.
• sequences disclosed herein are shown proceeding from left to right, with the left end of the sequence being the N-terminus of the peptide and the right end of the sequence being the C-terminus of the peptide.
• sequences disclosed herein are sequences incorporating a "Hy-" moiety at the amino terminus (N-terminus) of the sequence, and either an "-OH” moiety or an "-NH 2 " moiety at the carboxy terminus (C-terminus) of the sequence.
• a "Hy-" moiety at the N-terminus of the sequence in question indicates a hydrogen atom, corresponding to the presence of a free primary or secondary amino group at the N- terminus, while an "-OH” or an “-NH 2 " moiety at the C-terminus of the sequence indicates a hydroxy group or an amino group, corresponding to the presence of an amido (CONH 2 ) group at the C-terminus, respectively.
• a C-terminal "- OH" moiety may be substituted for a C-terminal "-NH 2 " moiety, and vice-versa.
• the moiety at the amino terminus or carboxy terminus may be a bond, e.g., a covalent bond, particularly in situations where the amino terminus or carboxy terminus is bound to a linker or to another chemical moiety, e.g., a PEG moiety.
• NH 2 refers to the free amino group present at the amino terminus of a polypeptide.
• OH refers to the free carboxy group present at the carboxy terminus of a peptide.
• Ac refers to Acetyl protection through acylation of the C- or N-terminus of a polypeptide.
• carboxy refers to -C0 2 H.
• Trifluorobutyric acid 4,4,4-Trifluorobutyric acid -Methylltrifluorobutyric acid 2-methyl-4,4,4-Butyric acid
• amino acids are referred to by their full name (e.g. alanine, arginine, etc.), they are designated by their conventional three-letter or single-letter abbreviations (e.g. Ala or A for alanine, Arg or R for arginine, etc.).
• sarcosine, ornithine, etc. frequently employed three- or four-character codes are employed for residues thereof, including, Sar or Sarc (sarcosine, i.e.
• R 1 can in all sequences be substituted with isovaleric acids or equivalent.
• a peptide of the present invention is conjugated to an acidic compound such as, e.g., isovaleric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, and the like
• the presence of such a conjugation is referenced in the acid form. So, for example, but not to be limited in any way, instead of indicating a conjugation of isovaleric acid to a peptide by referencing isovaleroyl, in some embodiments, the present application may reference such a conjugation as isovaleric acid.
• L-amino acid refers to the “L” isomeric form of a peptide
• D-amino acid refers to the "D” isomeric form of a peptide
• the amino acid residues described herein are in the “L” isomeric form, however, residues in the "D” isomeric form can be substituted for any L-amino acid residue, as long as the desired functional is retained by the peptide.
• DRP disulfide rich peptides
• dimer refers broadly to a peptide comprising two or more monomer subunits. Certain dimers comprise two DRPs. Dimers of the present invention include homodimers and heterodimers. A monomer subunit of a dimer may be linked at its C- or N-terminus, or it may be linked via internal amino acid residues. Each monomer subunit of a dimer may be linked through the same site, or each may be linked through a different site (e.g., C -terminus, N-terminus, or internal site).
• parentheticals e.g., ( ) represent side chain conjugations and brackets, e.g., [ ], represent unnatural amino acid substitutions.
• a linker is shown at the N-terminus of a peptide sequence, it indicates that the peptide is dimerized with another peptide, wherein the linker is attached to the N-terminus of the two peptides.
• a linker is shown at the C-terminus of a peptide sequence, it indicates that the peptide is dimerized with another peptide, wherein the linker is attached to the C-terminus of the two peptides.
• isostere replacement or “isostere substitution” are used interchangeably herein to refer to any amino acid or other analog moiety having chemical and/or structural properties similar to a specified amino acid.
• an isostere replacement is a conservative substitution with a natural or unnatural amino acid.
• cyclized refers to a reaction in which one part of a polypeptide molecule becomes linked to another part of the polypeptide molecule to form a closed ring, such as by forming a disulfide bridge or other similar bond.
• subunit refers to one of a pair of polypeptide monomers that are joined to form a dimer peptide composition.
• linker moiety refers broadly to a chemical structure that is capable of linking or joining together two peptide monomer subunits to form a dimer.
• solvate in the context of the present invention refers to a complex of defined stoichiometry formed between a solute (e.g., a hepcidin analogue or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to the invention) and a solvent.
• the solvent in this connection may, for example, be water, ethanol or another pharmaceutically acceptable, typically small-molecular organic species, such as, but not limited to, acetic acid or lactic acid.
• a solvate is normally referred to as a hydrate.
• a "disease of iron metabolism” includes diseases where aberrant iron metabolism directly causes the disease, or where iron blood levels are dysregulated causing disease, or where iron dysregulation is a consequence of another disease, or where diseases can be treated by modulating iron levels, and the like. More specifically, a disease of iron metabolism according to this disclosure includes iron overload diseases, iron deficiency disorders, disorders of iron biodistribution, other disorders of iron metabolism and other disorders potentially related to iron metabolism, etc.
• Diseases of iron metabolism include hemochromatosis, HFE mutation hemochromatosis, ferroportin mutation hemochromatosis, transferrin receptor 2 mutation hemochromatosis, hemojuvelin mutation hemochromatosis, hepcidin mutation hemochromatosis, juvenile hemochromatosis, neonatal hemochromatosis, hepcidin deficiency, transfusional iron overload, thalassemia, thalassemia intermedia, alpha thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia, porphyria, porphyria cutanea tarda, African iron overload, hyperferritinemia, ceruloplasmin deficiency, atransferrinemia, congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, anemia of chronic disease, anemia of inflammation, anemia of infection, hypochromic microcytic anemia, iron- deficiency anemia, iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia, anemia of chronic kidney disease, erythropoietin resistance, iron
• the disease and disorders are related to iron overload diseases such as iron hemochromatosis, HFE mutation hemochromatosis, ferroportin mutation hemochromatosis, transferrin receptor 2 mutation hemochromatosis, hemojuvelin mutation hemochromatosis, hepcidin mutation hemochromatosis, juvenile hemochromatosis, neonatal hemochromatosis, hepcidin deficiency, transfusional iron overload, thalassemia, thalassemia intermedia, alpha thalassemia.
• the hepcidin analogues of the invention are used to treat diseases and disorders that are not typically identified as being iron related.
• hepcidin is highly expressed in the murine pancreas suggesting that diabetes (Type I or Type II), insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and other disorders may be ameliorated by treating underlying iron metabolism disorders.
• diabetes Type I or Type II
• insulin resistance insulin resistance
• glucose intolerance glucose intolerance
• other disorders may be ameliorated by treating underlying iron metabolism disorders.
• peptides of the invention may be used to treat these diseases and conditions.
• the diseases of iron metabolism are iron overload diseases, which include hereditary hemochromatosis, iron-loading anemias, alcoholic liver diseases and chronic hepatitis C.
• salts or zwitterionic forms of the peptides or compounds of the present invention which are water or oil-soluble or dispersible, which are suitable for treatment of diseases without undue toxicity, irritation, and allergic response; which are commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio, and which are effective for their intended use.
• the salts can be prepared during the final isolation and purification of the compounds or separately by reacting an amino group with a suitable acid.
• Representative acid addition salts include acetate, adipate, alginate, citrate, aspartate, benzoate, benzenesulfonate, bisulfate, butyrate, camphorate, camphorsulfonate, digluconate, glycerophosphate, hemisulfate, heptanoate, hexanoate, formate, fumarate, hydrochloride, hydrobromide, hydroiodide, 2-hydroxyethansulfonate (isethionate), lactate, maleate, mesitylenesulfonate, methanesulfonate, naphthylenesulfonate, nicotinate, 2- naphthalenesulfonate, oxalate, pamoate, pectinate, persulfate, 3-phenylproprionate, picrate, pivalate, propionate, succinate, tartrate, trichloroacetate, trifluoroacetate, phosphate
• amino groups in the compounds of the present invention can be quaternized with methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl chlorides, bromides, and iodides; dimethyl, diethyl, dibutyl, and diamyl sulfates; decyl, lauryl, myristyl, and steryl chlorides, bromides, and iodides; and benzyl and phenethyl bromides.
• acids which can be employed to form therapeutically acceptable addition salts include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, and phosphoric, and organic acids such as oxalic, maleic, succinic, and citric.
• a pharmaceutically acceptable salt may suitably be a salt chosen, e.g., among acid addition salts and basic salts.
• acid addition salts include chloride salts, citrate salts and acetate salts.
• basic salts include salts where the cation is selected among alkali metal cations, such as sodium or potassium ions, alkaline earth metal cations, such as calcium or magnesium ions, as well as substituted ammonium ions, such as ions of the type N(R1)(R2)(R3)(R4)+, where Rl, R2, R3 and R4 independently will typically designate hydrogen, optionally substituted Cl-6-alkyl or optionally substituted C2-6-alkenyl.
• Cl-6-alkyl groups examples include methyl, ethyl, 1 -propyl and 2-propyl groups.
• C2-6-alkenyl groups of possible relevance examples include ethenyl, 1-propenyl and 2-propenyl.
• Other examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts are described in "Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences", 17th edition, Alfonso R. Gennaro (Ed.), Mark Publishing Company, Easton, PA, USA, 1985 (and more recent editions thereof), in the "Encyclopaedia of Pharmaceutical Technology", 3rd edition, James Swarbrick (Ed.), Informa Healthcare USA (Inc.), NY, USA, 2007, and in J. Pharm. Sci. 66: 2 (1977).
• suitable base salts are formed from bases which form non-toxic salts.
• bases include the aluminum, arginine, benzathine, calcium, choline, diethylamine, diolamine, glycine, lysine, magnesium, meglumine, olamine, potassium, sodium, tromethamine, and zinc salts.
• Hemisalts of acids and bases may also be formed, e.g., hemisulphate and hemicalcium salts.
• N(alpha)Methylation describes the methylation of the alpha amine of an amino acid, also generally termed as an N-methylation.
• sym methylation or "Arg-Me-sym”, as used herein, describes the symmetrical methylation of the two nitrogens of the guanidine group of arginine. Further, the term “asym methylation” or “Arg-Me-asym” describes the methylation of a single nitrogen of the guanidine group of arginine.
• acylating organic compounds refers to various compounds with carboxylic acid functionality that are used to acylate the N-terminus of an amino acid subunit prior to forming a C-terminal dimer.
• Non-limiting examples of acylating organic compounds include cyclopropylacetic acid, 4-Fluorobenzoic acid, 4-fluorophenylacetic acid, 3-Phenylpropionic acid, Succinic acid, Glutaric acid, Cyclopentane carboxylic acid, 3,3,3- trifluoropropeonic acid, 3-Fluoromethylbutyric acid, Tetrahedro-2H-Pyran-4-carboxylic acid.
• alkyl includes a straight chain or branched, noncyclic or cyclic, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon containing from 1 to 24 carbon atoms.
• Representative saturated straight chain alkyls include, but are not limited to, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, and the like, while saturated branched alkyls include, without limitation, isopropyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, isopentyl, and the like.
• saturated cyclic alkyls include, but are not limited to, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, and the like, while unsaturated cyclic alkyls include, without limitation, cyclopentenyl, cyclohexenyl, and the like.
• a "therapeutically effective amount" of the peptide agonists of the invention is meant to describe a sufficient amount of the peptide agonist to treat an hepcidin- related disease, including but not limited to any of the diseases and disorders described herein (for example, a disease of iron metabolism).
• the therapeutically effective amount will achieve a desired benefit/risk ratio applicable to any medical treatment.
• the present invention provides peptide analogues of hepcidin, which may be monomers or dimers (collectively “hepcidin analogues").
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention binds ferroportin, e.g., human ferroportin.
• hepcidin analogues of the present invention specifically bind human ferroportin.
• "specifically binds" refers to a specific binding agent's preferential interaction with a given ligand over other agents in a sample.
• a specific binding agent that specifically binds a given ligand binds the given ligand, under suitable conditions, in an amount or a degree that is observable over that of any nonspecific interaction with other components in the sample. Suitable conditions are those that allow interaction between a given specific binding agent and a given ligand.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention binds ferroportin with greater specificity than a hepcidin reference compound (e.g., any one of the hepcidin reference compounds provided herein).
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits ferroportin specificity that is at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, 500%, 700%, 1000%, or 10,000% higher than a hepcidin reference compound (e.g., any one of the hepcidin reference compounds provided herein.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits ferroportin specificity that is at least about 5 fold, or at least about 10, 20, 50, or 100 fold higher than a hepcidin reference compound (e.g., any one of the hepcidin reference compounds provided herein.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits a hepcidin activity.
• the activity is an in vitro or an in vivo activity, e.g., an in vivo or an in vitro activity described herein.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or greater than 99% of the activity exhibited by a hepcidin reference compound (e.g., any one of the hepcidin reference compounds provided herein.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or greater than 99% of the ferroportin binding ability that is exhibited by a reference hepcidin.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention has a lower IC 50 (i.e., higher binding affinity) for binding to ferroportin, (e.g., human ferroportin) compared to a reference hepcidin.
• a hepcidin analogue the present invention has an IC 50 in a ferroportin competitive binding assay which is at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, 500%, 700%, or 1000% lower than a reference hepcidin.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits increased hepcidin activity as compared to a hepcidin reference peptide.
• the activity is an in vitro or an in vivo activity, e.g., an in vivo or an in vitro activity described herein.
• the hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, or 200-fold greater hepcidin activity than a reference hepcidin.
• the hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99% or greater than 99%, 100%, 200% 300%, 400%, 500%, 700%, or 1000% greater activity than a reference hepcidin.
• a peptide analogue of the present invention exhibits at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or greater than 99%, 100%, 200% 300%, 400%, 500%, 700%, or 1000% greater in vitro activity for inducing the degradation of human ferroportin protein as that of a reference hepcidin, wherein the activity is measured according to a method described herein.
• a peptide or a peptide dimer of the present invention exhibits at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or greater than 99%, 100%, 200% 300%, 400%, 500%, 700%, or 1000% greater in vivo activity for inducing the reduction of free plasma iron in an individual as does a reference hepcidin, wherein the activity is measured according to a method described herein.
• the activity is an in vitro or an in vivo activity, e.g., an in vivo or an in vitro activity described herein.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, or 200-fold greater or at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, 500% , 700%, or 1000% greater activity than a reference hepcidin, wherein the activity is an in vitro activity for inducing the degradation of ferroportin, e.g., as measured according to the Examples herein; or wherein the activity is an in vivo activity for reducing free plasma iron, e.g., as measured according to the Examples herein.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention mimic the hepcidin activity of Hep25, the bioactive human 25 -amino acid form, are herein referred to as "mini-hepcidins".
• a compound e.g., a hepcidin analogue
• hepcidin activity means that the compound has the ability to lower plasma iron concentrations in subjects (e.g. mice or humans), when administered thereto (e.g. parenterally injected or orally administered), in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. See e.g. as demonstrated in Rivera et al. (2005), Blood 106:2196-9.
• the peptides of the present invention lower the plasma iron concentration in a subject by at least about 1.2, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10-fold, or at least about 5%, 10%>, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or about 99%.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention have in vitro activity as assayed by the ability to cause the internalization and degradation of ferroportin in a ferroportin-expressing cell line as taught in Nemeth et al. (2006) Blood 107:328-33.
• in vitro activity is measured by the dose-dependent loss of fluorescence of cells engineered to display ferroportin fused to green fluorescent protein as in Nemeth et al. (2006) Blood 107:328-33. Aliquots of cells are incubated for 24 hours with graded concentrations of a reference preparation of Hep25 or a mini-hepcidin. As provided herein, the EC50 values are provided as the concentration of a given compound (e.g. a hepcidin analogue peptide or peptide dimer of the present invention) that elicits 50% of the maximal loss of fluorescence generated by a reference compound.
• a given compound e.g. a hepcidin analogue peptide or peptide dimer of the present invention
• the EC 50 of the Hep25 preparations in this assay range from 5 to 15 nM and in certain embodiments, preferred hepcidin analogues of the present invention have EC 50 values in in vitro activity assays of about 1,000 nM or less. In certain embodiments, a hepcidin analogue of the present invention has an EC 50 in an in vitro activity assay (e.g., as described in Nemeth et al.
• a hepcidin analogue or biotherapeutic composition (e.g., any one of the pharmaceutical compositions described herein) has an EC 50 value of about InM or less.
• the in vitro activity of the hepcidin analogues or the reference peptides is measured by their ability to internalize cellular ferroportin, which is determined by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry using antibodies which recognizes extracellular epitopes of ferroportin.
• the in vitro activity of the hepcidin analogues or the reference peptides is measured by their dose- dependent ability to inhibit the efflux of iron from ferroportin-expressing cells that are preloaded with radioisotopes or stable isotopes of iron, as in Nemeth et al. (2006) Blood 107:328-33.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention exhibit increased stability ⁇ e.g., as measured by half-life, rate of protein degradation) as compared to a reference hepcidin.
• the stability of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention is increased at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, or 200-fold greater or at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, or 500% greater than a reference hepcidin.
• the stability is a stability that is described herein. In some embodiments, the stability is a plasma stability, e.g., as optionally measured according to the method described herein. [00130] In particular embodiments, a hepcidin analogue of the present invention exhibits a longer half-life than a reference hepcidin.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention has a half-life under a given set of conditions (e.g., temperature, pH) of at least about 5 minutes, at least about 10 minutes, at least about 20 minutes, at least about 30 minutes, at least about 45 minutes, at least about 1 hour, at least about 2 hour, at least about 3 hours, at least about 4 hours, at least about 5 hours, at least about 6 hours, at least about 12 hours, at least about 18 hours, at least about 1 day, at least about 2 days, at least about 4 days, at least about 7 days, at least about 10 days, at least about two weeks, at least about three weeks, at least about 1 month, at least about 2 months, at least about 3 months, or more, or any intervening half- life or range in between, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 20 minutes, about 30 minutes, about 45 minutes, about 1 hour, about 2 hour, about 3 hours, about 4 hours, about 5 hours, about 6 hours, about 12 hours, about 18 hours, about 1 day, about 2 days
• the half-life of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention is extended due to its conjugation to one or more lipophilic substituent, e.g., any of the lipophilic substituents disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the half-life of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention is extended due to its conjugation to one or more polymeric moieties, e.g., any of the polymeric moieties disclosed herein.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention has a half-life as describe above under the given set of conditions wherein the temperature is about 25 °C, about 4 °C, or about 37 °C, and the pH is a physiological pH, or a pH about 7.4.
• the half-life is measured in vitro using any suitable method known in the art, e.g., in some embodiments, the stability of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention is determined by incubating the hepcidin analogue with pre-warmed human serum (Sigma) at 37 0 C. Samples are taken at various time points, typically up to 24 hours, and the stability of the sample is analyzed by separating the hepcidin analogue from the serum proteins and then analyzing for the presence of the hepcidin analogue of interest using LC-MS.
• the stability of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention is determined by incubating the hepcidin analogue with pre-warmed human serum (Sigma) at 37 0 C. Samples are taken at various time points, typically up to 24 hours, and the stability of the sample is analyzed by separating the hepcidin analogue from the serum proteins and then analyzing for the presence of the hepcidin analogue of interest using
• the stability of the hepcidin analogue is measured in vivo using any suitable method known in the art, e.g., in some embodiments, the stability of a hepcidin analogue is determined in vivo by administering the peptide or peptide dimer to a subject such as a human or any mammal (e.g., mouse) and then samples are taken from the subject via blood draw at various time points, typically up to 24 hours. Samples are then analyzed as described above in regard to the in vitro method of measuring half-life. In some embodiments, in vivo stability of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention is determined via the method disclosed in the Examples herein.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue as described herein, wherein the hepcidin analogue exhibits improved solubility or improved aggregation characteristics as compared to a reference hepcidin.
• Solubility may be determined via any suitable method known in the art.
• suitable methods known in the art for determining solubility include incubating peptides (e.g., a hepcidin analogue of the present invention) in various buffers (Acetate pH4.0, Acetate pH5.0, Phos/Citrate pH5.0, Phos Citrate pH6.0, Phos pH 6.0, Phos pH 7.0, Phos pH7.5, Strong PBS pH 7.5, Tris pH7.5, Tris pH 8.0, Glycine pH 9.0, Water, Acetic acid (pH 5.0 and other known in the art) and testing for aggregation or solubility using standard techniques.
• buffers Acetate pH4.0, Acetate pH5.0, Phos/Citrate pH5.0, Phos Citrate pH6.0, Phos pH 6.0, Phos pH 7.0, Phos pH7.5, Strong PBS pH 7.5, Tris pH7.5, Tris pH 8.0, Glycine pH 9.0
• Water Acetic acid (pH 5.0 and other known in the art) and testing for aggregation or solubility using standard techniques.
• improved solubility means the peptide (e.g., the hepcidin analogue of the present invention) is more soluble in a given liquid than is a reference hepcidin.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue as described herein, wherein the hepcidin analogue exhibits a solubility that is increased at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, or 200-fold greater or at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%, or 500% greater than a reference hepcidin in a particular solution or buffer, e.g., in water or in a buffer known in the art or disclosed herein.
• a reference hepcidin in a particular solution or buffer e.g., in water or in a buffer known in the art or disclosed herein.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue as described herein, wherein the hepcidin analogue exhibits decreased aggregation, wherein the aggregation of the peptide in a solution is at least about 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, or 200-fold less or at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 200%, 300%, 400%), or 500%) less than a reference hepcidin in a particular solution or buffer, e.g., in water or in a buffer known in the art or disclosed herein.
• a reference hepcidin in a particular solution or buffer e.g., in water or in a buffer known in the art or disclosed herein.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue, as described herein, wherein the hepcidin analogue exhibits less degradation (i.e., more degradation stability), e.g., greater than or about 10%> less, greater than or about 20%> less, greater than or about 30% less, greater than or about 40 less, or greater than or about 50% less than a reference hepcidin.
• degradation stability is determined via any suitable method known in the art.
• suitable methods known in the art for determining degradation stability include the method described in Hawe et al J Pharm Sci, VOL. 101, NO. 3, 2012, p 895-913, incorporated herein in its entirety.
• the hepcidin analogue of the present invention is synthetically manufactured. In other embodiments, the hepcidin analogue of the present invention is recombinantly manufactured.
• the various hepcidin analogue monomer and dimer peptides of the invention may be constructed solely of natural amino acids.
• these hepcidin analogues may include unnatural or non-natural amino acids including, but not limited to, modified amino acids.
• modified amino acids include natural amino acids that have been chemically modified to include a group, groups, or chemical moiety not naturally present on the amino acid.
• the hepcidin analogues of the invention may additionally include D-amino acids.
• the hepcidin analogue peptide monomers and dimers of the invention may include amino acid analogs.
• a peptide analogue of the present invention comprises any of those described herein, wherein one or more natural amino acid residues of the peptide analogue is substituted with an unnatural or non-natural amino acid, or a D-amino acid.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention include one or more modified or unnatural amino acids.
• a hepcidin analogue includes one or more of Daba, Dapa, Pen, Sar, Cit, Cav, HLeu, 2-Nal, 1-Nal, d-1- Nal, d-2-Nal, Bip, Phe(4-OMe), Tyr(4-OMe), ⁇ , phPhe, Phe(4-CF 3 ), 2-2-Indane, 1-1- Indane, Cyclobutyl, phPhe, hLeu, Gla, Phe(4-NH 2 ), hPhe, 1-Nal, Nle, 3-3-diPhe, cyclobutyl- Ala, Cha, Bip, ⁇ -Glu, Phe(4-Guan), homo amino acids, D-amino acids, and various N- methylated amino acids.
• Daba Dapa, Pen, Sar, Cit, Cav
• HLeu 2-Nal,
• the present invention includes any of the hepcidin analogues described herein, e.g., in a free or a salt form.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention include any of the peptide monomers or dimers described herein linked to a linker moiety, including any of the specific linker moieties described herein.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention include peptides, e.g., monomers or dimers, comprising a peptide monomer subunit having at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%), at least 98%>, or at least 99% amino acid sequence identity to a hepcidin analogue peptide sequence described herein (e.g., any one of the peptides disclosed in Tables 1-4 or 6- 15).
• a peptide analogue of the present invention comprises or consists of 7 to 35 amino acid residues, 8 to 35 amino acid residues, 9 to 35 amino acid residues, 10 to 35 amino acid residues, 7 to 25 amino acid residues, 8 to 25 amino acid residues, 9 to 25 amino acid residues, 10 to 25 amino acid residues, 7 to 18 amino acid residues, 8 to 18 amino acid residues, 9 to 18 amino acid residues, or 10 to 18 amino acid residues, and, optionally, one or more additional non-amino acid moieties, such as a conjugated chemical moiety, e.g., a PEG or linker moiety.
• a conjugated chemical moiety e.g., a PEG or linker moiety.
• a monomer subunit of a hepcidin analogue comprises or consists of 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, or 35 amino acid residues.
• a monomer subunit of a hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises or consists of 10 to 18 amino acid residues and, optionally, one or more additional non-amino acid moieties, such as a conjugated chemical moiety, e.g., a PEG or linker moiety.
• the monomer subunit comprises or consists of 7 to 35 amino acid residues, 9 to 18 amino acid residues, or 10 to 18 amino acid residues.
• X comprises or consists of 7 to 35 amino acid residues, 8 to 35 amino acid residues, 9 to 35 amino acid residues, 10 to 35 amino acid residues, 7 to 25 amino acid residues, 8 to 25 amino acid residues, 9 to 25 amino acid residues, 10 to 25 amino acid residues, 7 to 18 amino acid residues, 8 to 18 amino acid residues, 9 to 18 amino acid residues, or 10 to 18 amino acid residues.
• hepcidin analogues of the present invention comprise a single peptide subunit. In certain embodiments, these hepcidin analogues form cyclized structures through intramolecular disulfide or other bonds. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a cyclized form of any one of the hepcidin analogues listed in Tables 2-4, or 12-15, provided that the analogue has two or more Cys residues.
• the present invention includes a peptide analogue, wherein the peptide analogue has the structure of Formula I: R ⁇ -X-Y-R 2 (I) (SEQ ID NO: 1)
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is OH or NH 2 ;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula la:
• XI is Asp, Ser, Glu, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Lys, Glu, Pro, Ala or absent;
• X3 is His, Ala, or Glu
• X4 is Phe, He or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Val, Glu, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys or (D)-Cys
• X7 is absent or any amino acid except He, Cys or (D)-Cys;
• X8 is absent or any amino acid except Cys or (D)-Cys;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Thr, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent;
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent
• Y is absent or present
• Y is a peptide having the formula Im:
• Yl is Gly, PEG3, Sarc, Lys, Glu, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Cys, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, Trp or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Gly, Trp, Ala, His, Glu, Tyr or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Ser, Arg, Ala or absent;
• Y6 is Gly, Sarc, Glu, Lys, Arg, Ser, Lys, He, Ala, Pro, Val or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, Lys, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Trp, His, Thr, Gly, Cys, Met, Tyr, Ala, Glu, Lys, Asp, Arg or absent;
• Y9 is Val, Asp, Asn, Cys, Tyr or absent;
• Y10 is Cys, Met, Lys, Arg, Tyr or absent;
• Yl 1 is Arg, Met, Cys, Lys or absent
• Y12 is Arg, Lys, Ala or absent.
• X7 is absent or any amino acid except Cys, or (D)-Cys.
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent.
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent.
• R 1 is selected from methyl, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, trifluoroacetyl, isovaleryl, isobutyryl, octanyl, and conjugated amides of lauric acid, hexadecanoic acid, and ⁇ -Glu-hexadecanoic acid.
• the amino acid residue immediately carboxy to X6 is not He.
• the amino acid residue immediately carboxy to X6 is not He.
• X7 is absent and X8 is present, X8 is not He, or wherein X7 and X8 are absent, X9 is not He.
• X either or both does not comprise or does not consist of an amino acid sequence set forth in US Patent No. 8,435,941.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula lb:
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Lys, Glu, Pro, Ala or absent;
• X3 is His, Ala, Glu or Ala;
• X4 is Phe, He or Dpa;
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys;
• X7 is absent or any amino acid except He, Cys or (D)-Cys
• X8 is absent or any amino acid except Cys or (D)-Cys
• X9 is Phe, He, Tyr, bhPhe or D-Phe or absent
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent;
• Y is absent or present, provided that if Y is present, Y is a peptide having the formula In: Y1-Y2-Y3-Y4-Y5-Y6-Y7-Y8-Y9-Y10-Y11-Y12 (In) (SEQ ID NO: 19)
• Yl is Gly, PEG3, Sarc, Lys, Glu, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Glu or absent
• Y5 is Lys, Ser, Met, Arg, Ala or absent;
• Y6 is Gly, Sarc, Glu, Leu, Phe, His or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, NMe-Trp, Lys, Thr, His, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Trp, Ala, Asn, Glu or absent;
• Y9 is Val, Ala, Asn, Asp, Cys or absent;
• Y10 is Cys, (D)Cys, Glu or absent;
• Yl 1 is Tyr, Met or absent; and Y12 is Trp or absent.
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent.
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, He, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent. [00166] In certain alternative embodiments, X7 is absent or any amino acid except Cys, or (D)-Cys.
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent.
• the peptides of formula (I) comprise at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, at least eleven, or at least 12 amino acid residues in Y.
• Yl to Y3 are present and Y4 to Y12 are absent.
• Yl to Yl 1 are present and Y12 is absent.
• Yl to Y10 are present and Yl 1 to Y12 are absent.
• Illustrative embodiments of peptide analogues of Formula I are provide in Table 2.
• a peptide analogue of the present invention comprises or consists of an amino acid sequence set forth in Table 2, or has a structure shown in Table 2.
• Table 2 also provides the EC 50 values of illustrative peptide analogues as determined via the ferroportin internalization/degradation assay described in the accompanying Examples.
• the present invention includes a peptide analogue, wherein the peptide analogue has the structure of Formula II:
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• Pv 2 is OH or NH 2 ; and [00177] X is a peptide sequence having the formula Ila:
• XI is Asp, Glu or Ida
• X2 is Thr, Ser or absent
• X3 is His
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys or (D)-Cys
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, He, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent;
• X8 is lie, Arg, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent;
• X9 is Phe, Tyr, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; and [00179] wherein Y is absent or present, provided that if Y is present, Y is a peptide having the formula Ilm:
• Yl is Gly, Sarc, Lys, Glu or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Gly or absent
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Glu or absent
• Y5 is Lys, Ser, Met, Arg, Ala or absent;
• Y6 is Gly, Sarc, Glu, Leu, Phe, His or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, NMe-Trp, Lys, Thr, His, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Trp, Ala, Asn, Glu or absent;
• Y9 is Cys
• Y10 is Met or absent
• Yl 1 is Tyr, Met or absent
• Y12 is Trp or absent.
• X6 is Cys.
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent.
• Y10 is absent.
• Yl 1 is Tyr.
• Yl 1 is absent.
• Y12 is absent.
• Yl 1 and Y12 or Y10, Yl 1 and Y12 are absent.
• R 1 is selected from methyl, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, trifluoroacetyl, isovaleryl, isobutyryl, octanyl, and the conjugated amides of lauric acid, hexadecanoic acid, and ⁇ -Glu-hexadecanoic acid.
• X either or both does not comprise or does not consist of an amino acid sequence set forth in US Patent No. 8,435,941.
• the peptides of formula (II) comprise at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, at least eleven, or at least 12 amino acid residues in Y.
• Yl to Y3 are present and Y4 to Y12 are absent.
• Yl to Yl 1 are present and Y12 is absent.
• Yl to Y10 are present and Yl 1 to Y12 are absent.
• peptide analogues of Formula II are provide in Table 3.
• a peptide analogue of the present invention comprises or consists of an amino acid sequence set forth in Table 3, or has a structure shown in Table 3.
• Table 3 also provides the EC50 values of illustrative peptide analogues as determined via the ferroportin internalization/degradation assay described herein.
• the present invention includes dimers of the monomer hepcidin analogues described herein, including dimers comprising any of the monomer peptides sequences or structures set forth in Tables 2-4, and certain dimers of sequences or structures set forth in Tables 6-10, 12, 14, and 15.
• the invention includes dimers of any of the monomer peptide sequences or structure set forth in Table 11 or 13. These dimers fall within the scope of the general term "hepcidin analogues" as used herein.
• the term "dimers,” as in peptide dimers, refers to compounds in which two peptide monomer subunits are linked.
• a peptide dimer of the present invention may comprise two identical monomer subunits, resulting in a homodimer, or two non-identical monomer subunits, resulting in a heterodimer.
• a cysteine dimer comprises two peptide monomer subunits linked through a disulfide bond between a cysteine residue in one monomer subunit and a cysteine residue in the other monomer subunit.
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue comprises one or more, e.g., two, peptide monomer subunits shown in Table 4 or described in US Patent No. 8,435,941, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
• the hepcidin analogues of the present invention are active in a dimer conformation, in particular when free cysteine residues are present in the peptide. In certain embodiments, this occurs either as a synthesized dimer or, in particular, when a free cysteine monomer peptide is present and under oxidizing conditions, dimerizes. In some embodiments, the dimer is a homodimer. In other embodiments, the dimer is a heterodimer.
• a hepcidin analogue dimer of the present invention is a peptide dimer comprising two hepcidin analogue peptide monomers of the invention.
• the amino acid sequences listed in Tables 2-4 and Tables 6- 15 are shown using one letter codes for amino acids. Wherein only the hepcidin analogue monomer peptide sequence is shown, it is understood that, in certain embodiments, these hepcidin analogue monomer peptides, i.e., monomer subunits, are dimerized to form peptide dimer hepcidin analogues, in accordance with the present teachings. Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a dimer of a peptide monomer shown in any one of Tables 2-4, 6-10, 12, 14, or 15.
• the monomer subunits may be dimerized by a disulfide bridge between two cysteine residues, one in each peptide monomer subunit, or they may be dimerized by another suitable linker moiety, as defined herein. Some of the monomer subunits are shown having C- and N- termini that both comprise free amine. Thus, to produce a peptide dimer inhibitor, the monomer subunit may be modified to eliminate either the C- or N-terminal free amine, thereby permitting dimerization at the remaining free amine.
• a terminal end of one or more monomer subunits is acylated with an acylating organic compound selected from the group consisting of 2-me-Trifluorobutyl, Trifluoropentyl, Acetyl, Octonyl, Butyl, Pentyl, Hexyl, Palmityl, Trifluoromethyl butyric, cyclopentane carboxylic, cyclopropylacetic, 4-fluorobenzoic, 4-fluorophenyl acetic, 3-Phenylpropionic, tetrahedro-2H-pyran-4carboxylic, succinic acid, and glutaric acid.
• an acylating organic compound selected from the group consisting of 2-me-Trifluorobutyl, Trifluoropentyl, Acetyl, Octonyl, Butyl, Pentyl, Hexyl, Palmityl, Trifluoromethyl butyric, cyclopentane carboxylic, cyclopropylacetic,
• monomer subunits comprise both a free carboxy terminal and a free amino terminal, whereby a user may selectively modify the subunit to achieve dimerization at a desired terminus.
• a user may selectively modify the subunit to achieve dimerization at a desired terminus.
• the C-terminal residues of the monomer subunits disclosed herein are amides, unless otherwise indicated. Further, it is understood that, in certain embodiments, dimerization at the C-terminus is facilitated by using a suitable amino acid with a side chain having amine functionality, as is generally understood in the art. Regarding the N-terminal residues, it is generally understood that dimerization may be achieved through the free amine of the terminal residue, or may be achieved by using a suitable amino acid side chain having a free amine, as is generally understood in the art.
• the side chains of one or more internal residue comprised in the hepcidin analogue peptide monomers of the present invention can be utilized for the purpose of dimerization.
• the side chain is in some embodiments a suitable natural amino acid (e.g., Lys), or alternatively it is an unnatural amino acid comprising a side chain suitable for conjugation, e.g., to a suitable linker moiety, as defined herein.
• linker moieties connecting monomer subunits may include any structure, length, and/or size that is compatible with the teachings herein.
• a linker moiety is selected from the non-limiting group consisting of: cysteine, lysine, DIG, PEG4, PEG4-biotin, PEG13, PEG25, PEG IK, PEG2K, PEG3.4K, PEG4K, PEG5K, IDA, IDA- Palm, ADA, Boc-IDA, Glutaric acid, Isophthalic acid, 1,3-phenylenediacetic acid, 1,4- phenylenediacetic acid, 1 ,2-phenylenediacetic acid, Triazine, Boc-Triazine, IDA-biotin, PEG4-Biotin, AADA, suitable aliphatics, aromatics, heteroaromatics, and polyethylene glycol based linkers having a molecular weight from approximately 400Da to approximately 40,000Da.
• the C- and N-terminal and internal linker moieties disclosed herein are non-limiting examples of suitable linker moieties, and that the present invention may include any suitable linker moiety.
• some embodiments of the present invention comprise a homo- or heterodimer hepcidin analogue comprised of two monomer subunits selected from the peptides shown herein, e.g., in Tables 2-4 and 11-15 or comprising or consisting of a sequence presented herein, e.g., in Tables 2-4 and 11-15, wherein the C- or N-termini of the respective monomer subunits are linked by any suitable linker moiety to provide a hepcidin analogue dimer peptide having hepcidin activity.
• the present invention comprises a homo- or heterodimer hepcidin analogue comprised of two monomer subunits described herein, e.g., selected from the peptides shown in Tables 2-4 and 11-15 or comprising or consisting of a sequence presented in Tables 2-4 or 10-15, wherein the respective monomer subunits are linked internally by any suitable linker moiety conjugated to the side chain of one or more internal amino acids to provide a hepcidin analogue dimer peptide having hepcidin activity.
• a hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two or more polypeptide sequences of the monomer hepcidin analogues described herein.
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits connected via one or more linker moieties or intermolecular linkages (e.g., a cysteine disulfide bridge), wherein each peptide monomer subunit is a compound of Formula I, wherein X is hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits connected via one or more linker moieties or intermolecular linkages (e.g., a cysteine disulfide bridge), or wherein each peptide monomer subunit is a compound of Formula II, e.g., wherein X is Ila and Y is Urn.
• linker moieties or intermolecular linkages e.g., a cysteine disulfide bridge
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits connected via one or more linker moieties or intermolecular linkages (e.g., a cysteine disulfide bridge), wherein each peptide monomer subunit is a compound of Formula I, wherein X is la and Y is Im, or wherein X is lb and Y is In, or a compound of Formula II, wherein X is Ila and Y is Ilm.
• the peptide dimer is a homodimer, and in other embodiments, the peptide dimer is a heterodimer.
• a peptide dimer inhibitor has the structure of Formula VII:
• each R 1 is independently selected from a bond (e.g., a covalent bond), hydrogen, a C 1 -C6 alkyl, a C6-C 12 aryl, a C6-C 12 aryl C 1 -C6 alkyl, a C 1 -C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• each R 2 is independently absent, a bond (e.g., a covalent bond), or selected from OH or NH 2 ;
• L is a linker moiety
• each X and Y combination is independently selected from those present in any of the Formulae described herein, such as Formulas I, II, III, IV, V, or VI.
• each X and Y combination is independently selected from the group consisting of: la and Im;
• each X is an independently selected peptide sequence having the formula Vila:
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida, Lys or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Lys or absent;
• X3 is His, Ala or Lys
• X4 is Phe, Dpa or Lys
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Gly or Lys
• X6 is Cys
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa, Thr or absent;
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Glu, Asn, Asp, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D- Arg, or Dapa or absent;
• X9 is Phe, Tyr, bhPhe, Lys or absent
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent
• each Y is absent.
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, He, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa, Thr or absent.
• the linker is Lys or Phe. In particular embodiments, the linker is Lys.
• the two X peptides are linked via a disulfide bond.
• the invention provides peptides, which may be isolated and/or purified, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of the following structural formula VIII:
• Ri and R 2 are each independently selected from a bond, a hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, and a C 1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions (e.g. PEG3 to PEG1 1), alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 3 and R 4 are each independently selected from a bond, -NH2 and -OH;
• Xn and Yn are each independently selected peptide sequences having the formula Villa
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida, Lys or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Lys or absent;
• X3 is His, Ala, Lys;
• X4 is Phe, Dpa or Lys;
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Gly or Lys;
• X6 is Cys;
• X7 is Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa, Thr or absent;
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Glu, Asn, Asp, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D- Arg, or Dapa or absent;
• X9 is Phe, Tyr, bhPhe, Lys or absent
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; [00221] Lk is a linker or absent;
• Xn and Yn are optionally linked by a disulfide bond
• Z is absent or it is a conjugate as described herein, (e.g., a conjugate to enhance drug like characteristics of the hepcidin analogue, such as extending in vivo half-life solubility, etc.), wherein if Z is present, it is optionally linked to the Xn peptide (e.g., at its N- terminus, C-terminus, or internally via a side chain, e.g., a lysine side chain), the Yn peptide (e.g., at its N-terminus, C-terminus, or internally via a side chain, e.g., a lysine side chain), or to an Lk linker.
• the Xn peptide e.g., at its N- terminus, C-terminus, or internally via a side chain, e.g., a lysine side chain
• the Yn peptide e.g., at its N-terminus, C-terminus, or
• Z is a palmyltyl moiety, a PEG moiety, or a lipidic moiety.
• Lk links the two monomer subunits via an amino acid residue in Xn and/or an amino acid residue in Yn.
• Rl, R2, R3, and R4 are selected from a bond, - NH2 and -OH, hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, and a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions (e.g. PEG3 to PEGU), alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing.
• Lk links the two monomer subunits via R 3 and/or R4.
• Lk links the monomer subunits via Ri and/or R 2 .
• Lk links the monomer subunits via any one of R ls Xn or R 3 and any one of R 2 , Yn and R 4 .
• the linker is Lys or Phe. In particular embodiments, the linker is Lys.
• the two X peptides are linked via a disulfide bond.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue monomer, or a homodimer or heterodimer thereof, comprising a peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTXiFPC, wherein Xi is any amino acid.
• the present invention provides a peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTX 1 FPCX 2 X 3 F, wherein Xi is any amino acid, X 2 is any amino acid, and X 3 is any amino acid or it is absent.
• X 2 is any amino acid except for Cys.
• X ls X 2 , and/or X 3 is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• such a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue monomer, or a homodimer or heterodimer thereof, comprising a peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence X 1 X 2 X 3 FX 4 CY 1 X 5 F, wherein any of Xi, X 2 , and X3 are absent or any amino acid, X 4 and X5 are any amino acid, and Yi is any amino acid except for D-Cys, D-Ser, D-Ala, Cys(S-tBut), homoC, Pen, (D)Pen, Dap(AcBr), Inp, or D-His.
• Yi is any lipidic amino acid.
• Yi is selected from Val, He, and Leu.
• Yi is He.
• X5 is Lys.
• any of X ls X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X5, and/or Yi is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• such a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue monomer, or a homodimer or heterodimer thereof, comprising a peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTX 1 FX 2 CY 1 X 3 F, wherein X 1 is any amino acid, Yi is any amino acid except for D-Cys, D-Ser, D-Ala, Cys(S-tBut), homoC, Pen, (D)Pen, Dap(AcBr), Inp, or D-His, and X 2 is any amino acid or it is absent. In one such embodiment, Yi is any amino acid except for Cys. In one such embodiment, Yi is any lipidic amino acid.
• Y 1 is selected from Val, He, and Leu.
• Yi is He.
• X ls X 2 (if not absent), and/or Yi is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• such a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue homodimer or heterodimer comprising a hepcidin analogue monomer peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTXiFPX 2 C, wherein Xi is any amino acid.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue homodimer or heterodimer comprising a hepcidin analogue monomer peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTX 1 FPX 2 CX 3 F, wherein Xi is any amino acid, X 2 is any amino acid, and X 3 is any amino acid or it is absent.
• X 2 is any amino acid except for Cys.
• X ls X 2 , and/or X 3 is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• such a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue monomer, or a homodimer or heterodimer thereof, comprising a peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence XiXiXiFX 2 X 2 CYiF wherein Xi is absent or it is any amino acid, X 2 is any amino acid, and Yi is any amino acid.
• Y is any natural amino acid.
• Yi is selected from Arg, Val, He, and Leu.
• Yi is He.
• X ls X 2 , and/or Yi is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a hepcidin analogue monomer, or a homodimer or heterodimer thereof, comprising a peptide that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTXiFX 2 X 3 CYiF, wherein X 1 is any amino acid, X 2 is any amino acid or it is absent, X 3 is any amino acid, and Yi is any amino acid.
• Yi is any lipidic amino acid.
• Yi is selected from Val, He, and Leu.
• Y 1 is He.
• X ls X 2 (if not absent), and/or Yi is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a homodimer or heterodimer of one or more hepcidin analogue monomer that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence X 1 X 1 X 1 FX 2 X 2 CX 3 F wherein Xi is absent or it is any amino acid, X 2 is any amino acid, and X3 is any amino acid.
• X 3 is any natural amino acid.
• X 3 is selected from Arg, Val, He, and Leu.
• X 3 is He.
• X ls X 2 , and/or X 3 is an unnatural amino acid.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• the present invention provides a homodimer or heterodimer of one or more hepcidin analogue monomer that comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a sequence DTXiFX 2 X 3 CX 4 F, wherein Xi is any amino acid, X 2 is any amino acid or it is absent, X 3 is any amino acid, and X 4 is any amino acid.
• X 4 is any amino acid except for Cys.
• X 4 is any lipidic amino acid.
• X 4 is selected from Val, He, and Leu.
• X 4 is He.
• X ls X 2 (if not absent), and/or X 4 is an unnatural amino acid.
• Cys is linked through a disulphide forming a dimer.
• a dimer comprising such a hepcidin analogue monomer comprises a linker (e.g., a lysine linker).
• such a dimer comprises a first hepcidin analogue monomer and a second monomer (which monomers are optionally identical in sequence), and the dimer further comprises at least one intermolecular disulfide bridge linking a Cys in the first monomer (e.g., the Cys shown in either one of the above formulae) to a Cys in the second monomer.
• a peptide dimer (e.g., a hepcidin analogue or inhibitor) of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits connected via one or more linker moieties or intermolecular linkages (e.g., a cysteine disulfide bridge), wherein each peptide monomer subunit comprises a sequence shown in any of Tables 2-4 or Tables 11-15.
• the peptide dimer is a homodimer, and in other embodiments, the peptide dimer is a heterodimer.
• a linker moiety or intermolecular linkage that dimerizes two monomers is bound to any of the N-terminus, the C-terminus, or an internal amino acid (e.g., a lysine sidechain) of one or more of the monomer peptides.
• a peptide dimer e.g., a hepcidin analogue or inhibitor
• linker moieties or intermolecular linkages e.g., a cysteine disulfide bridge
• the peptide dimer is a homodimer, and in other embodiments, the peptide dimer is a heterodimer. In particular embodiments, the peptide dimer is a peptide dimer as shown in any one of Tables 6-10, and 15. [00241] In certain embodiments, at least two cysteine residues of the hepcidin analogue peptide dimers are linked by a disulfide bridge.
• the linker moiety (L) is any of the linkers shown in Table 5.
• the linker is a lysine linker, a diethylene glycol linker, an iminodiacetic acid (IDA) linker, a ⁇ -Ala-iminodiaceticacid ( ⁇ - Ala-ID A) linker, or a PEG linker.
• the N- terminus of each peptide monomer subunit is connected by a linker moiety.
• the C- terminus of each peptide monomer subunit is connected by a linker moiety.
• the side chains of one or more internal amino acid residues (e.g., Lys residues) comprised in each peptide monomer subunit of a hepcidin analogue peptide dimer are connected by a linker moiety.
• hepcidin analogue peptide dimers In certain embodiments of any of the hepcidin analogue peptide dimers, the C- terminus, the N terminus, or an internal amino acid (e.g., a lysine sidechain) of each peptide monomer subunit is connected by a linker moiety and at least two cysteine residues of the hepcidin analogue peptide dimers are linked by a disulfide bridge.
• a peptide dimer has a general structure shown below. Non-limiting schematic examples of such hepcidin analogues are shown in the following illustration:
• a peptide monomers of the present invention has the following structure:
• a peptide monomers of the present invention has the following structure:
• a peptide dimer of the present invention has the following structure:
• the peptide dimer of the present invention has the following structure: S5
• a peptide dimer inhibitor has the structure of Formula X: [00253] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof,
• each R 1 is independently absent, a bond (e.g., a covalent bond), or selected from hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• a bond e.g., a covalent bond
• each R 2 is independently absent, a bond (e.g., a covalent bond), or selected from OH or NH 2 ;
• L is a linker moiety
• each X is an independently selected peptide monomer subunit comprising or consisting of 7 to 35 amino acid residues, 8 to 35 amino acid residues, 9 to 35 amino acid residues, 10 to 35 amino acid residues, 7 to 25 amino acid residues, 8 to 25 amino acid residues, 9 to 25 amino acid residues, 10 to 25 amino acid residues, 7 to 18 amino acid residues, 8 to 18 amino acid residues, 9 to 18 amino acid residues, or 10 to 18 amino acid residues amino acids in length, each comprising or consisting of the sequence of Formula I or Formula II, or set forth in Tables 2-4, Tables 12-14, or a monomer sequence set forth in Table 15.. Lysine Dimer Hepcidin Analogues
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits linked via a lysine linker.
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention has a structure of Formula IX:
• each X is an independently selected peptide sequence having the formula
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida or absent
• X2 is Thr, Ser, Pro, Ala or absent
• X3 is His, Ala, Glu or Ala
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, bhPro, Sarc or Gly;
• X6 is Cys, (D)-Cys, Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent;
• X7 is Cys, (D)-Cys, Arg, Glu, Phe, Gin, Leu, Val, Lys, Ala, Ser, Dapa or absent;
• X8 is He, Arg, Lys, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Thr, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; [00263] wherein each R 1 is independently absent, a bond (e.g., a covalent bond), or selected from hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, a C1-C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• a bond e.g., a covalent bond
• each R 2 is independently absent, a bond (e.g., a covalent bond), or selected from OH or NH 2 ;
• Y is absent or present, and provided that if Y is present, Y is a peptide having the formula IXm:
• Yl is He, Arg, Lys, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, Dapa or absent;
• Y2 is Phe, Ala, He, Thr, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe, D-Phe or absent; and Y3 is Lys, Phe or absent.
• Yl, Y2 and Y3 are present.
• Y is conjugated to one or more chemical substituents, including but not limited to any of those described herein.
• one or both X is cyclized via a disulfide bond.
• the two X peptides are linked via a disulfide bond.
• a lysine linked peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present has a structure set forth in Table 9.
• each of the peptide monomer subunits of a lysine-linked peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises or consists of a structure of Formula III: R ⁇ -X-Y-R 2 (III) SEQ ID NO:7
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C 12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a Cl- C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions thereof, alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is -NH 2 or -OH;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Ilia)
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ala, Gly, Thr, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, D-Asp, Tyr, Leu or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, Aib, D-Thr, Arg or absent;
• X3 is His, Lys, Ala, or D-His;
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa or bhPhe;
• X5 is Pro, Glu, Ser, Gly, Arg, Lys, Val, Ala, D-Pro, bhPro, Sarc, Abu or absent;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Leu, Lys, His, Glu, D-Ile, D-Arg, D-Cys, Val, Ser or Ala
• X7 is Cys, He, Ala, Leu, Val, Ser, Phe, Dapa, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, or Dapa;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe;
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent
• Y is absent or present, and when present, Y is a peptide having the formula (Illm)
• Yl is Gly, Cys, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Cys, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, Trp or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Gly, Trp, Ala, His, Tyr or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg, Ala or absent
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He, Arg, Ala, Pro, Val or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, Lys, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Gly, Cys, Met, Tyr, Ala, Glu, Lys, Asp, Arg or absent;
• Y9 is Cys, Tyr or absent
• Y10 is Met, Lys, Arg, Tyr or absent
• Yl 1 is Arg, Met, Cys, Lys or absent
• Y12 is Arg, Lys, Ala or absent
• Y13 is Arg, Cys, Lys, Val or absent
• Y14 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Cys, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Thr, Arg or absent
• R 1 is selected from methyl, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, trifluoroacetyl, isovaleryl, isobutyryl, octanyl, and the conjugated amides of lauric acid, hexadecanoic acid, and ⁇ -Glu-hexadecanoic acid.
• X does not comprise and/or does not consist of an amino acid sequence set forth in US Patent No. 8,435,941.
• the compound or peptide of formula (III) comprises two or more cysteine residues, wherein at least two of said cysteine residues are linked via a disulfide bond.
• X is a peptide sequence according to formula (Ilia), described herein, wherein
• XI is Asp, Ala, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, Leu, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, or D-Thr
• X3 is His, Lys, or D-His
• X4 is Phe, Ala, or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, Gly, Arg, Lys, Ala, D-Pro or bhPro;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Lys, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X7 is Cys, lie, Leu, Val, Phe, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Arg, Phe, Gin, Lys, Glu, Val, Leu or D-Ile;
• X9 is Phe or bhPhe; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Illb)
• XI is Asp, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp or absent;
• X4 is Phe or Dpa;
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X6 is He, Cys or Arg
• X7 is Cys, He, Leu or Val
• X8 is He, Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg;
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent
• X is a peptide sequence according to formula (Illb), as described herein, wherein
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp or absent;
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X6 is He, Cys or Arg
• X7 is Cys, He, Leu or Val
• X8 is He, Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg;
• XI 0 is Lys or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (IIIc)
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp or absent;
• X4 is: Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X8 is He Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg
• XI 0 is Lys or absent. [00289] In some embodiments, X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Hid)
• XI is Asp, Glu, or Ida
• X4 is: Phe
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X8 is He, Lys or Phe
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula Illn
• Yl is Gly, Ala, Lys, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro, Ala or Gly
• Y3 is Arg, Ala, Lys or Trp
• Y4 is Ser, Gly or Ala
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg or Ala
• Y6 is Gly, Arg or Ala
• Y7 is Trp, Ala or absent
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Lys, Ala, Glu or absent
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence according to formula (Illn), as described herein,
• Yl is Gly, Ala, Lys, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro, Ala or Gly
• Y3 is Arg, Ala, Lys or Trp
• Y4 is Ser, Gly or Ala
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg or Ala
• Y6 is Gly, Arg or Ala
• Y7 is Trp or Ala
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Ala, or Glu
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IIIo)
• Yl is Gly, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro or Gly
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y8 is Val or Thr
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IIIp)
• Yl is Val, Ala or absent
• Y3 is Gly, Pro or absent; Y4 is His, Trp or Tyr;
• Y6 is Ser, Gly or Pro
• Y7 is He, Gly or Lys
• Y8 is Gly, Met or absent
• Y10 is Tyr or Cys
• Yl 1 is Arg, Lys, Met or Ala
• Y13 is Cys or Val or absent
• Y14 is Cys, Lys, Pro, Arg, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Arg, Thr or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (Illq)
• Y3 is Gly or absent
• Y6 is Ser or Pro
• Y7 is He or Lys
• Y8 is Gly or absent
• Y12 is Arg or Ala
• Y13 is Cys, Val or absent
• Y14 is Cys, Arg, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Arg or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (Illr) Yl-Pro-Y3-Ser-Y5-Y6-Y7-Y8-Cys-Y10 (Illr) SEQ ID NO:576
• Yl is Gly, Glu, Val, or Lys
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y5 is Arg or Lys
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He or Arg
• Y7 is Trp or absent
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Asp, Glu or absent
• Y10 is Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (Ills) Yl-Pro-Y3-Ser-Y5-Y6-Y7-Y8-Cys-Y10 (Ills) SEQ ID NO:577
• Yl is Glu or Lys
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y5 is Arg or Lys
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He or Arg
• Y7 is Trp or absent
• Y8 is Val or absent
• Y10 is Lys or absent.
• the peptide of formula (III) comprises at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, at least eleven, at least twelve, at least thirteen, at least fourteen or at least fifteen Y residues in Y.
• Yl to Y3 are present and Y4 to Y15 are absent.
• Yl to Yl 1 are present and Y12 to Y15 are absent.
• Yl to Y10 are present and Yl 1 to Y15 are absent.
• Y8 and Y15 are absent.
• Y3 and Y15 are absent.
• Y3, Y14 and Y15 are absent.
• Y5 is absent.
• Yl, Y5, Y7, Y12, Y13, Y14 and Y15 are absent.
• Yl, Y5, and Y7 are absent.
• Y8 is absent.
• Y3 is absent.
• Yl, Y5, Y7, and Yl l- Yl 5 are absent.
• Y8 and Yl 1-Yl 5 are absent.
• Y3 and Y11-Y15 are absent.
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits linked via a lysine linker, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, the following structural formula:
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a Cl- C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• R 2 is -NH 2 or -OH;
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVa)
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ala, Gly, Thr, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, D-Asp, Tyr, Leu or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, Aib, D-Thr, Arg or absent;
• X3 is His, Lys, Ala, or D-His;
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa, bhPhe or D-Phe;
• X5 is Pro, Glu, Ser, Gly, Arg, Lys, Val, Ala, D-Pro, bhPro, Sarc, Abu or absent;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Leu, Lys, His, Glu, D-Ile, D-Arg , D-Cys, Val, Ser or Ala
• X7 is Cys, He, Ala, Leu, Val, Ser, Phe, Dapa, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg or Dapa;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; [00320] and provided that if Y ' is absent, X7 is He; and
• Y is absent or is a peptide having the formula (IVm):
• Yl is Gly, Cys, Ala, Phe, Pro, Glu, Lys, D-Pro, Val, Ser or absent;
• Y2 is Pro, Ala, Cys, Gly or absent;
• Y3 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Gly, His, Ala, Trp or absent;
• Y4 is Ser, Arg, Gly, Trp, Ala, His, Tyr or absent;
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg, Ala or absent
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He, Arg, Ala, Pro, Val or absent;
• Y7 is Trp, Lys, Gly, Ala, He, Val or absent;
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Gly, Cys, Met, Tyr, Ala, Glu, Lys, Asp, Arg or absent;
• Y9 is Cys, Tyr or absent
• Y10 is Met, Lys, Arg, Tyr or absent;
• Yl 1 is Arg, Met, Cys, Lys or absent;
• Y12 is Arg, Lys, Ala or absent
• Y13 is Arg, Cys, Lys, Val or absent
• Y14 is Arg, Lys, Pro, Cys, Thr or absent; and Y15 is Thr, Arg or absent;
• R 1 is selected from methyl, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, trifluoroacetyl, isovaleryl, isobutyryl, octanyl, and the conjugated amides of lauric acid, hexadecanoic acid, and ⁇ -Glu-hexadecanoic acid.
• R 1 ' is hydrogen, isovaleric acid, isobutyric acid or acetyl.
• X either or both does not comprise or does not consist of an amino acid sequence set forth in US Patent No. 8,435,941.
• X is a peptide sequence according to formula (IVa), wherein
• XI is Asp, Ala, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, Leu, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, or D-Thr
• X3 is His, Lys, D-His or Lys
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa or D-Phe
• X5 is Pro, Gly, Arg, Lys, Ala, D-Pro or bhPro;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Lys, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X7 is Cys, lie, Leu, Val, Phe, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Arg, Phe, Gin, Lys, Glu, Val, Leu or D-Ile;
• X9 is Phe or bhPhe;
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVb)
• XI is Asp, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp or absent;
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X6 is He, Cys or Arg
• X7 is Cys, He, Leu or Val
• X8 is He Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg
• XI 0 is Lys or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVc)
• XI is Asp, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp or absent;
• X4 is: Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X8 is He Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg
• XI 0 is Lys or absent; [00333] In some embodiments of the peptide compound of formula IV, X is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVd)
• XI is Asp, Glu, or Ida
• X4 is: Phe
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X8 is He, Lys, or Phe
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVn)
• Yl is Gly, Ala, Lys, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro, Ala or Gly
• Y3 is Arg, Ala, Lys or Trp
• Y4 is Ser, Gly or Ala
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg or Ala
• Y6 is Gly, Arg or Ala
• Y7 is Trp or Ala
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Ala or Glu
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent. [00337] In some embodiments of the peptide compound of formula IV, Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVo)
• Yl is Gly, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro or Gly
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y8 is Val or Thr
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVp)
• Yl is Val or Ala or absent
• Y3 is Gly, Pro or absent
• Y4 is His, Trp or Tyr
• Y6 is Ser, Gly or Pro
• Y7 is He, Gly or Lys
• Y8 is Gly, Met or absent
• YlO is Tyr or Cys
• Yl 1 is Arg, Lys, Met or Ala
• Y13 is Cys or Val or absent
• Y14 is Cys, Lys, Pro, Arg, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Arg, Thr or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVq)
• Y3 is Gly or absent
• Y6 is Ser or Pro
• Y7 is He or Lys
• Y8 is Gly or absent
• Y12 is Arg or Ala
• Y13 is Cys, Val or absent
• Y14 is Cys, Arg, Thr or absent
• Y15 is Arg or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVr)
• Yl is Gly, Glu, Val, or Lys
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y5 is Arg or Lys
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He or Arg
• Y7 is Trp or absent; [00345] Y8 is Val, Thr, Asp, Glu or absent; and
• Y10 is Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (IVs) Yl-Pro-Y3-Ser-Y5-Y6-Y7-Y8-Cys-Y10 (IVs) SEQ ID O
• Yl is Glu or Lys
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y5 is Arg or Lys
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He or Arg
• Y7 is Trp or absent
• Y8 is Val or absent
• Y10 is Lys or absent.
• the peptide of formula IV comprises at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, at least eleven, at least twelve, at least thirteen, at least fourteen or at least fifteen Y residues in Y.
• Yl to Y3 are present and Y4 to Y15 are absent.
• Yl to Yl 1 are present and Y12 to Y15 are absent.
• Yl to Y10 are present and Yl 1 to Y15 are absent.
• Y8 and Y15 are absent.
• Y3 and Y15 are absent
• Y3, Y14 and Y15 are absent.
• Y5 is absent.
• Yl, Y5, Y7, Y12, Y13, Y14 and Y15 are absent.
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits linked via a lysine linker, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, the following structural formula:
• R 1 is hydrogen, a C1-C6 alkyl, a C6-C12 aryl, a C6-C12 aryl C1-C6 alkyl, or a Cl- C20 alkanoyl, and including PEGylated versions alone or as spacers of any of the foregoing;
• ft 2 is -NH 2 or -OH
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Va)
• XI is Asp, Glu, Ala, Gly, Thr, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, D-Asp, Tyr, Leu or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, Aib, D-Thr, Arg or absent;
• X3 is His, Lys, Ala, D-His or Lys;
• X4 is Phe, Ala, Dpa, bhPhe or D-Phe;
• X5 is Pro, Glu, Ser, Gly, Arg, Lys, Val, Ala, D-Pro, bhPro, Sarc, Abu or absent;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Leu, Lys, His, Glu, D-Ile, D-Arg, D-Cys, Val, Ser or Ala;
• X7 is Cys, He, Ala, Leu, Val, Ser, Phe, Dapa, D-Ile or D-Cys
• X8 is He, Lys, Arg, Ala, Gin, Phe, Glu, Asp, Tyr, Ser, Leu, Val, D-Ile, D-Lys, D-Arg, or Dapa;
• X9 is Phe, Ala, He, Tyr, Lys, Arg, bhPhe or D-Phe; and XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent; wherein Y is present or absent, and provided that if Y is absent, X7 is He; [00364] wherein said compound of formula V is optionally PEGylated on X, or Y; and
• R 1 is selected from methyl, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, trifluoroacetyl, isovaleryl, isobutyryl, octanyl, and the conjugated amides of lauric acid, hexadecanoic acid, and ⁇ -Glu-hexadecanoic acid.
• R 1 ' is hydrogen, isovaleric acid, isobutyric acid or acetyl.
• X either or both does not comprise or does not consist of an amino acid sequence set forth in US Patent No. 8,435,941.
• X is a peptide sequence according to formula (Va), wherein
• XI is Asp, Ala, Ida, pGlu, bbAsp, Leu, D-Asp or absent;
• X2 is Thr, Ala, or D-Thr
• X3 is His, Lys, or D-His
• X4 is Phe, Ala, or Dpa
• X5 is Pro, Gly, Arg, Lys, Ala, D-Pro or bhPro;
• X6 is He, Cys, Arg, Lys, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X7 is Cys, lie, Leu, Val, Phe, D-Ile or D-Cys;
• X8 is He, Arg, Phe, Gin, Lys, Glu, Val, Leu or D-Ile;
• X9 is Phe or bhPhe;
• XI 0 is Lys or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Vb)
• XI is Asp, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp or absent;
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X6 is He, Cys or Arg
• X7 is Cys, He, Leu or Val
• X8 is He, Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg;
• XI 0 is Lys, Phe or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Ic' ')
• XI is Asp, Ida, pGlu, bhAsp or absent;
• X4 is Phe or Dpa
• X5 is Pro or bhPro
• X8 is He, Lys, Glu, Phe, Gin or Arg;
• XI 0 is Lys or absent.
• X is a peptide sequence having the formula (Vd)
• XI is Asp, Glu or Ida
• X4 is Phe;
• X5 is Pro or bhPro;
• X8 is He, Lys, or Phe
• Y is a peptide having the formula (Vm)
• Yl is Gly, Ala, Lys, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro, Ala or Gly
• Y3 is Arg, Ala, Lys or Trp
• Y4 is Ser, Gly or Ala
• Y5 is Lys, Met, Arg or Ala
• Y6 is Gly, Arg or Ala
• Y7 is Trp, Ala or absent
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Lys, Ala, Glu or absent
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence according to formula (Vm), wherein
• Yl is Gly, Glu, Val, or Lys
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y5 is Arg or Lys; Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He or Arg
• Y7 is Trp or absent
• Y8 is Val, Thr, Asp, Glu or absent
• Y10 is Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence according to formula (Vm), wherein
• Yl is Glu or Lys
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y5 is Arg or Lys
• Y6 is Gly, Ser, Lys, He or Arg
• Y7 is Trp or absent
• Y8 is Val or absent
• Y 10 is Lys or absent
• Y is a peptide sequence according to formula (Vm), wherein
• Yl is Gly, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro or Gly
• Y3 is Arg or Lys
• Y4 is Ser
• Y5 is Lys
• Y6 is Gly; Y7 is Trp;
• Y8 is Val or Thr; and Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• Y is a peptide sequence having the formula (Vn):
• Yl is Gly, Pro or D-Pro
• Y2 is Pro or Gly; Y3 is Arg or Lys;
• Y8 is Val or Thr
• Y10 is Met, Lys or absent.
• the peptide of formula (V) comprises at least three, at least four, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, or at least ten amino acid residues of Y.
• Yl to Y3 are present and Y4 to Y10 are absent.
• Y5 is absent.
• Yl, Y5, and Y7 are absent.
• Y8 is absent.
• Y3 is absent.
• a peptide dimer hepcidin analogue of the present invention comprises two peptide monomer subunits linked via a lysine linker, comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, the following structural formula VI:

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• 2015
  • 2015-06-29 CA CA2953721A patent/CA2953721A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-06-29 CN CN201580043057.2A patent/CN107075574A/zh active Pending
  • 2015-06-29 JP JP2016575360A patent/JP2017523959A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2015-06-29 US US15/321,124 patent/US20170313754A1/en not_active Abandoned
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  • 2015-06-29 WO PCT/US2015/038370 patent/WO2015200916A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2015-06-29 EP EP15812513.8A patent/EP3161164A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2015-06-29 KR KR1020177002630A patent/KR20170043509A/ko not_active Withdrawn
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