Compounds are provided having inter alia good duration of action, high potency and/or convenient dosing regimens including once weekly administration. The compounds are engineered polypeptides which incorporate an albumin binding domain in combination with one or more biologically active polypeptides. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment for diseases and disorders including lipodystrophy, dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, overweight, obesity, hypothalamic amenorrhea, Alzheimer's disease, leptin deficiency, fatty liver disease or diabetes (including type I and type II). Additional diseases and disorders which can be treated by the compounds and methods described herein include nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), metabolic syndrome X and Huntington's Disease.

The disclosure relates to modified oncolytic viruses. The modified oncolytic viruses of the disclosure comprise modification in the viral genome encoding exogenous nucleic acids to enhance the oncolytic immunotherapy by remodeling the tumor microenvironment and with enhanced systemic delivery. The disclosure further relates to compositions comprising the modified oncolytic viruses, kits containing the same, and methods of using the oncolytic viruses.

The disclosure relates to modified oncolytic viruses. The modified oncolytic viruses of the disclosure comprise modification in the viral genome encoding exogenous nucleic acids to enhance the oncolytic immunotherapy by remodeling the tumor microenvironment and with enhanced systemic delivery. The disclosure further relates to compositions comprising the modified oncolytic viruses, kits containing the same, and methods of using the oncolytic viruses.

Immunoconjugates for impeding weight gain and treating obesity in a subject are disclosed. The immunoconjugates comprise a ghrelin mimetic polypeptide hapten, a spacer moiety comprising one of more polyethylene glycol (PEG) units, and a protein carrier moiety. Immunoconjugates optionally include a conjugation moiety for conjugating the polypeptide hapten with a linker moiety or the protein carrier moiety and a linker moiety for conjugating the conjugation moiety with the protein carrier moiety.

Disclosed herein are immunoglobulin constructs comprising at least one immunoglobulin domain or fragment thereof; and a therapeutic polypeptide or derivative or variant thereof attached to or inserted into said immunoglobulin domain. Also provided are immunoglobulin constructs comprising a mammalian immunoglobulin heavy chain comprising at least a portion of a knob domain in the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3H) or fragment thereof; and a therapeutic polypeptide attached to or inserted into said knob domain of the CDR3H. Also provided are immunoglobulin constructs comprising a mammalian immunoglobulin heavy chain comprising at least a portion of a stalk domain in the complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3H) or fragment thereof; and a therapeutic polypeptide attached to or inserted into said stalk domain of the CDR3H. Also described herein are methods and compositions comprising the immunoglobulin constructs described herein for treatment and prevention of a disease or condition in a subject.

Provided is a pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition comprising adiponectin-derived peptide fragments, i.e., the peptides of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 6 as an active ingredient. The peptides facilitate skin regeneration and moisturization, inhibit skin wrinkle, and have inhibitory activities against allergy and inflammation as well as metastasis of cancer cells.

The present invention encompasses albumin fusion proteins. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the albumin fusion proteins of the invention are also encompassed by the invention, as are vectors containing these nucleic acids, host cells transformed with these nucleic acids vectors, and methods of making the albumin fusion proteins of the invention and using these nucleic acids, vectors, and/or host cells. Additionally the present invention encompasses pharmaceutical compositions comprising albumin fusion proteins and methods of treating, preventing, or ameliorating diseases, disorders or conditions using albumin fusion proteins of the invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a biomarker that can be used as a precise diagnostic marker for MetS or arteriosclerosis risk.

The present invention provides a C1q-adiponectin complex comprising naturally occurring adiponectin and C1q.

This document provides butyrylcholinesterases having an enhanced ability to hydrolyze acyl ghrelin as well as nucleic acids encoding such butyrylcholinesterases. This document also provides methods and materials for treating obesity and/or aggression. For example, methods for administering a nucleic acid encoding a wild-type or mutant butyrylcholinesterase having the ability to hydrolyze acyl ghrelin to a mammal under conditions wherein the level of acyl ghrelin within the mammal is reduced, under conditions wherein the rate of body weight gain of the mammal is reduced, under conditions wherein the mammal's level of aggression is reduced, and/or under conditions wherein the mammal's rate of developing stress-induced tissue damage are provided.

The present invention relates to a method of treating a transient impairment of the motility of the gastrointestinal system resulting from postoperative ileus in a patient wherein said method includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a peptidyl analog of ghrelin to said patient.