A pharmaceutical composition comprises (a) a peptide of between 8 and 20 amino acids comprising at least 8 consecutive amino acids residues with a sequence present in SEQ ID NO 22 or a complex of said peptide and a human recombinant MHC class II protein and (b) an immunologic adjuvant.

The present invention provides new protease-resistant polypeptides, as well as compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing conditions related to joint damage, including acute joint injury and arthritis.

Particulated and reconstituted tissues comprising small, densely packed tissue microparticles encapsulated in a tissue specific promoting gel packed at a percolation threshold that can be transplanted into damaged tissue thereby facilitating regeneration following trauma to the tissue. The engineered microparticle construct for tissue replacement and repair, as taught herein, provides numerous benefits including (1) encouraging a regenerative response in damaged tissue regions, (2) mimicking the structural support of native tissue, (3) establishing an environment that promotes attachment, migration, and differentiation of infiltrating stem cells, and (4) providing a source of growth factors and other anti-catabolic growth factors and cytokines. Tissue specific microparticles packed together at, or past, their percolation threshold will provide the necessary mechanical environment and to best recapitulate and integrate with native tissue. The packing of microparticles, derived from the ECM of native tissue, to a concentration past the percolation point will yield both the necessary biochemical and biomechanical properties necessary for reconstituting a specific tissue.

Particulated and reconstituted tissues comprising small, densely packed tissue microparticles encapsulated in a tissue specific promoting gel packed at a percolation threshold that can be transplanted into damaged tissue thereby facilitating regeneration following trauma to the tissue. The engineered microparticle construct for tissue replacement and repair, as taught herein, provides numerous benefits including (1) encouraging a regenerative response in damaged tissue regions, (2) mimicking the structural support of native tissue, (3) establishing an environment that promotes attachment, migration, and differentiation of infiltrating stem cells, and (4) providing a source of growth factors and other anti-catabolic growth factors and cytokines. Tissue specific microparticles packed together at, or past, their percolation threshold will provide the necessary mechanical environment and to best recapitulate and integrate with native tissue. The packing of microparticles, derived from the ECM of native tissue, to a concentration past the percolation point will yield both the necessary biochemical and biomechanical properties necessary for reconstituting a specific tissue.

Disclosed is a food supplement including at least the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine and lysine and Chromium. Also disclosed are food compositions including the food supplement as well as uses of both.

Disclosed is a food supplement including at least the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine and lysine and Chromium. Also disclosed are food compositions including the food supplement as well as uses of both.

This invention relates to the treatment of macular edema. Macular edema is the main cause of vision loss during diabetic macular edema, wet AMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration), retinal vein occlusion and chronic intraocular inflammation. Currently, beyond photocoagulation by laser irradiation, two types of drugs are used, protein molecules that neutralize VEGF family members and glucocorticoids, with different mechanisms of action, but targeting one single symptom: macular edema. The inventors have now found that macular edema may be treated by increasing the oncotic pressure of the vitreous. According to the inventors' understanding, causing an increase in the oncotic pressure of the vitreous induces a liquid flow from the interstitial water accumulated in the retina tissue to the vitreous compartment, so as to reduce or stop macular edema. Increasing the oncotic pressure of the vitreous is preferably performed by intravitreal injection of an oncotic pressure-increasing macromolecule, which macromolecule may be selected in a group comprising protein or non-protein macromolecules, such as albumin, gelatin, alpha2 macroglobulin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin multimers, beta lipoproteins and antibodies, as well as dextran and hydroxyethyl starch.

The present invention is in the fields of medicinal chemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. The invention provides compositions comprising one or more collagen mimetic peptides, optionally attached to one or more therapeutic compounds or one or more imaging compounds, for use in methods of treating, preventing, ameliorating, curing and diagnosing certain diseases and physical disorders in humans and veterinary animals, as well as methods of manufacturing such composition. The invention also provides medical devices comprising one or more such compositions of the invention. The invention also provides methods of use of such compositions and devices in treating and diagnosing certain diseases and physical disorders in humans and veterinary animals, including ocular diseases or disorders, skin diseases or disorders, certain cancers, particularly intraluminal cancers, gastrointestinal diseases or disorders, genitourinary tract diseases or disorders, fibrotic diseases/disorders and rheumatic diseases/disorders.

Formulations comprising complexes of peptides with hydrophobic bioactive molecules are described herein. The invention more specifically relates to collagen peptide and curcuminoid complexes and compositions comprising the complexes. The compositions and formulations comprising the protein hydrolysate peptide-hydrophobic bioactive molecule complexes are water-soluble, stable at physiological and acidic pH, synergistically enhance the systemic bioavailability of the biomolecules and peptides, and are capable of delivering a high therapeutically effective amount of the bioactive molecules via oral route. The compositions and formulations comprising the collagen peptide-curcuminoid complexes provide significantly high levels of bioavailable curcuminoids that are water soluble and stable at physiological and acidic pH along with significant anti-inflammatory effects offered by collagen peptides. The invention further provides a process for preparing the peptide-bioactive molecule complexes, compositions and oral formulations comprising the collagen peptide-curcuminoid complex.

Formulations comprising complexes of peptides with hydrophobic bioactive molecules are described herein. The invention more specifically relates to collagen peptide and curcuminoid complexes and compositions comprising the complexes. The compositions and formulations comprising the protein hydrolysate peptide-hydrophobic bioactive molecule complexes are water-soluble, stable at physiological and acidic pH, synergistically enhance the systemic bioavailability of the biomolecules and peptides, and are capable of delivering a high therapeutically effective amount of the bioactive molecules via oral route. The compositions and formulations comprising the collagen peptide-curcuminoid complexes provide significantly high levels of bioavailable curcuminoids that are water soluble and stable at physiological and acidic pH along with significant anti-inflammatory effects offered by collagen peptides. The invention further provides a process for preparing the peptide-bioactive molecule complexes, compositions and oral formulations comprising the collagen peptide-curcuminoid complex.