A simple contact mapping algorithm for identifying potential peptide mimetics in protein-protein interaction partners.

A simple, static contact mapping algorithm has been developed as a first step at identifying potential peptide biomimetics from protein interaction partner structure files. This rapid and simple mapping algorithm, "OpenContact" provides screened or parsed protein interaction files based on specified criteria for interatomic separation distances and interatomic potential interactions. The algorithm, which uses all-atom Amber03 force field models, was blindly tested on several unrelated cases from the literature where potential peptide mimetics have been experimentally developed to varying degrees of success.

Monoclonal antibody therapeutics with up to five specificities: functional enhancement through fusion of target-specific peptides.

The recognition that few human diseases are thoroughly addressed by mono-specific, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) continues to drive the development of antibody therapeutics with additional specificities and enhanced activity. Historically, efforts to engineer additional antigen recognition into molecules have relied predominantly on the reformatting of immunoglobulin domains. In this report we describe a series of fully functional mAbs to which additional specificities have been imparted through the recombinant fusion of relatively short polypeptides sequences.

Simultaneous targeting of TNF and Ang2 with a novel bispecific antibody enhances efficacy in an in vivo model of arthritis.

Despite the clinical success of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapies in the treatment of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn disease and psoriasis, full control of the diseases only occurs in a subset of patients and there is a need for new therapeutics with improved efficacy against broader patient populations. One possible approach is to combine biological therapeutics, but both the cost of the therapeutics and the potential for additional toxicities needs to be considered. In addition to the various mediators of immune and inflammatory pathways, angiogenesis is reported to contribute substantially to the overall pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.