The present invention relates to a human interferon-beta variant with double mutation and a method for improving stability of a human interferon-beta variant and, more specifically, to a human interferon-beta variant including an amino acid sequence having serine substituted for the 17th amino acid cysteine of human interferon-beta and threonine substituted for the 27th amino acid arginine of the human interferon-beta, and a method for improving stability of human interferon-beta R27T variant, the method comprising a step of substituting serine for the 17th amino acid serine in the human interferon-beta R27T variant in which threonine is substituted for the 27th amino acid arginine of human interferon-beta.

The present invention relates to a composition for treating or sensitizing interferon beta resistant cancer disease comprising cFLIP siRNA, and, more specifically, to a pharmaceutical composition for treating interferon beta resistant cancer disease, comprising, as an active ingredient: (a) an siRNA complementarily binding to mRNA of a cFLIP gene; and (b) a human interferon beta variant which comprises glycine-asparagine-isoleucine-treonine-valine sequence (GNITV) at C-terminus in a human natural interferon beta amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, or has replaced the 27.sup.th arginine amino acid with threonine or serine, and to a composition for sensitizing interferon beta resistant cancer cells comprising cFLIP siRNA as an active ingredient. The composition of the present invention can be effectively used to develop an anticancer agent or anticancer adjuvant having a new mechanism to promote apoptosis and effectively sensitize cells for treatment, by lowering an expression level of cFLIP proteins in a cancer showing resistance to interferon beta or a cancer becoming resistant to interferon beta.

Disclosed are cysteine variants of interleukin-11 (IL-11) and methods of making and using such proteins in therapeutic applications.

The present invention provides a method for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), and for reducing flu-like symptoms associated with administration of an interferon to a patient with MS. The method involves intramuscularly administering the interferon to the MS patient according to an escalating dosing regimen in weeks 1 to 3, and a full therapeutically effective dose of interferon in week 4. In one embodiment of the invention, the escalating dosing regimen comprises administering one quarter of the therapeutically effective dose in week 1, half of the therapeutically effective dose in week 2, and three-quarters of the therapeutically effective dose in week 3. Also provided are titration packages for enabling compliance with a regimen of changing dosage of an interferon over a period of time.

The present invention provides a method for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), and for reducing flu-like symptoms associated with administration of an interferon to a patient with MS. The method involves intramuscularly administering the interferon to the MS patient according to an escalating dosing regimen in weeks 1 to 3, and a full therapeutically effective dose of interferon in week 4. In one embodiment of the invention, the escalating dosing regimen comprises administering one quarter of the therapeutically effective dose in week 1, half of the therapeutically effective dose in week 2, and three-quarters of the therapeutically effective dose in week 3. Also provided are titration packages for enabling compliance with a regimen of changing dosage of an interferon over a period of time.

A proprotein containing a functional protein coupled to a peptide mask that inhibits binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner. An activatable proprotein contains a functional protein coupled to a peptide mask, and further coupled to an activatable linker, wherein in an non-activated state, the peptide mask inhibits binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner and in an activated state the peptide mask does not inhibit binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner. Proproteins can provide for reduced toxicity and adverse side effects that could otherwise result from binding of a functional protein at non-treatment sites if it were not inhibited from binding its binding partner. Proproteins can further provide improved biodistribution characteristics. Proproteins containing a peptide mask can display a longer in vivo or serum half-life than the corresponding functional protein not containing a peptide mask.

A proprotein containing a functional protein coupled to a peptide mask that inhibits binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner. An activatable proprotein contains a functional protein coupled to a peptide mask, and further coupled to an activatable linker, wherein in an non-activated state, the peptide mask inhibits binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner and in an activated state the peptide mask does not inhibit binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner. Proproteins can provide for reduced toxicity and adverse side effects that could otherwise result from binding of a functional protein at non-treatment sites if it were not inhibited from binding its binding partner. Proproteins can further provide improved biodistribution characteristics. Proproteins containing a peptide mask can display a longer in vivo or serum half-life than the corresponding functional protein not containing a peptide mask.

The present disclosure provides proteinaceous heterodimers, pharmaceutical compositions, medicaments and/or kits comprising the proteinaceous heterodimers, methods for producing the proteinaceous heterodimers, and uses thereof.

In various embodiments chimeric moieties (constructs) are provided that show significant efficacy against cancers. In certain embodiments the constructs comprise a targeting moiety that specifically binds CD138 attached to an interferon or to a mutant interferon. In certain embodiments, the constructs comprise anti-CD138 antibody attached to an interferon alpha (IFN-α) or to a mutant interferon alpha.

In various embodiments chimeric moieties (constructs) are provided that show significant efficacy against cancers. In certain embodiments the constructs comprise a targeting moiety that specifically binds CD138 attached to an interferon or to a mutant interferon. In certain embodiments, the constructs comprise anti-CD138 antibody attached to an interferon alpha (IFN-α) or to a mutant interferon alpha.