A bi-epitope compound of formula I:

##STR00001##

in which: E1 and E2, identical or different, each separately represents a peptide sequence including at least one epitope of an analyte; X and Y, identical or different, each separately represents a linking arm, the carrier molecule is soluble and Z represents an amino acid derivative bearing a thiol function prior to the bonding of same with the carrier molecule. The compound may be contained in a composition, used as a control or standard in an immunoassay and associated method, and/or provided in a kit for implementing an immunoassay.

A method for treating a microbial infection in a subject includes administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition which has a therapeutically effective amount of an antimicrobial peptide containing a derivative of P-113.

The present invention provides polypeptides comprising or consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from collagen type VI or a fragment, variant, fusion or derivative thereof, or a fusion of said fragment, variant of derivative thereof, wherein the polypeptide, fragment, variant, fusion or derivative is capable of killing or attenuating the growth of microorganisms. Related aspects of the invention provide corresponding isolated nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells for making the same. Additionally provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a polypeptide of the invention, as well as methods of use of the same in the treatment and/or prevention of microbial infections and in wound care. Also provided are a method of killing microorganisms in vitro and a medical device associated with the pharmaceutical composition.

Peptide analogs of a θ-defensin have been developed that provide a biphasic effect in treating disseminated fungal disease and/or associated septic shock. These analogs are active at concentrations below those needed to provide a fungicidal effect, and function by initially mobilizing effector cells of the immune system to address the infective organism followed by regulation of the immune system to down regulate the inflammatory response. These θ-defensin analogs are protective at concentrations where naturally occurring θ-defensins have no apparent effect, and include a core set of structural and sequence features not found in native θ-defensins.

A chimeric signal peptide for protein expression includes an N-region, a hydrophobic region, and a C-region, wherein the N-region and the C-region are from a same signal peptide of a first protein and the hydrophobic region is from a signal peptide of a second protein, wherein the first protein is different from the second protein. The first and second protein are independently selected from the group consisting of BM40, IL2, HA, Insulin, CD33, IFNA2, IgGK leader, AZU, and SEAP.

A bi-epitope compound of formula I: ##STR00001##
in which: E1 and E2, identical or different, each separately represents a peptide sequence including at least one epitope of an analyte; X and Y, identical or different, each separately represents a linking arm, the carrier molecule is soluble and Z represents an amino acid derivative bearing a thiol function prior to the bonding of same with the carrier molecule. The compound may be contained in a composition, used as a control or standard in an immunoassay and associated method, and/or provided in a kit for implementing an immunoassay.

A composition, which comprises at least one natural, recombinant, or synthetic human antimicrobial peptide, is selected from a human defensin or cathelicidin or functional fragments or combinations thereof, for inactivating bacterial spores.

Synthetic histatins composed of combinations of functional domains of natural histatins separated by exogenous linkers are described as are methods of using endogenous and synthetic histatins for the treatment of ocular diseases or conditions.

This disclosure is directed to compositions comprised of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) having an alpha helical structure wherein one side is highly hydrophobic. Representative sequences of the antimicrobial peptides include ILKKWWββαβGLLGβLLGαVββVIKβLββI (SEQ ID No. 2), LKKWWKβαKGLLGGLLGKVββVIK (SEQ ID No. 12), and αKKααKKαKGαLGGLαGK (SEQ ID No. 18). Additional embodiments disclose methods for treating a microbial infection; reducing biofilm; decreasing inflammation; and treating infectious diseases, COPD, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, rhinosinusitis, septicemia, RSV, TB or cancer; in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a therapeutic amount of an antimicrobial peptide.

The present invention relates to a peptide derived from the defensin-3 from the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, to pharmaceutical compositions containing same, and to the use thereof as an antimicrobial in the treatment of infections caused by gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The invention also relates to the use of the peptide and pharmaceutical compositions containing same, in the treatment of cancer, particularly breast cancer. The compound described is a peptide derived from defensin-3 from the red flour beetle T. castaneum.