This invention relates pro-coagulant serpin molecules engineered by modification of the P4, P2, P1 and/or P1 residues within the reactive center loop (RCL) to display increased specificity for anticoagulant proteases. These modified serpin molecules may be useful in therapy, for example as pro-coagulants for the treatment of bleeding.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sugar chain-polypeptide complex that may form a transparent and homogeneous hydrogel in a broad pH. The present invention provides a sugar chain-polypeptide complex, characterized in that said polypeptide is a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of 8-34 amino acid residues in which polar and nonpolar amino acid residues are alternately arranged, and one or more sugar chains are bound to said polypeptide.

This invention reveals the potential applications of modified porcine plasma fibronectin that could be applied as a safe material for clinical wound healing and tissue repair. In order to seek safe sources of plasma fibronectin for practical consideration in wound dressing, this invention isolated and modified fibronectin from porcine plasma and demonstrated that modified porcine plasma fibronectin has similar ability as homo plasma fibronectin being as a suitable substrate for stimulation of cell adhesion and directed cell migration. The present invention also reveals a material and a pharmaceutical composition enhance wound healing.

The invention provides for dry spray compositions comprising co-polymers comprising a core, water-soluble polymer and a peptide.

Disclosed herein are polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence of {[VPGVG].sub.4IPGVG}.sub.n, wherein n is an integer greater than 1. The polypeptides can be crosslinked to from biocompatible hydrogels with tunable and desirable mechanical properties. The polypeptides and hydrogels can be used in a variety of biomedical applications including treatment of bleeding, treatment of soft tissue injury, injectable filler, and tissue adhesives.

The invention provides a non-particulate cross-linked poly--lysine polymer. The poly--lysine and cross linker are linked by amide bonds and may the cross linker has at least two functional groups capable of reacting with an alpha carbon amine of poly--lysine. The polymer is suitably insoluble in water and other solvents and is provided in macro form for example a sheet, article or fiber. The macro form polymer is useful in a wide range of applications including wound treatment, as a medical diagnostic comprising a particulate support and a functional material bound or retained by the support and solid phase synthesis of peptides, oligonucleotides, oligosaccharides, immobilization of species, cell culturing and in chromatographic separation.

Methods of treating a microbial contamination are disclosed. Methods of eliminating or inhibiting proliferation of a target microorganism at a target site are also disclosed. The methods include administering a thermally stable preparation comprising a purified amphiphilic peptide in an aqueous biocompatible solution and administering a buffer to a target site. The peptide has a folding group having a plurality of charged amino acid residues and hydrophobic amino acid residues arranged in a substantially alternating pattern and a turn sequence. The peptide is configured to self-assemble into a hydrogel.

A microporous gel system for certain applications, including biomedical applications, includes an aqueous solution containing plurality of microgel particles including a biodegradable crosslinker. In some aspects, the microgel particles act as gel building blocks that anneal to one another to form a covalently-stabilized scaffold of microgel particles having interstitial spaces therein. In certain aspects, annealing of the microgel particles occurs after exposure to an annealing agent that is endogenously present or exogenously added. In some embodiments, annealing of the microgel particles requires the presence of an initiator such as exposure to light. In particular embodiments, the chemical and physical properties of the gel building blocks can be controlled to allow downstream control of the resulting assembled scaffold. In one or more embodiments, cells are able to quickly infiltrate the interstitial spaces of the assembled scaffold.

Meshes for use to control the movement of bodily fluids, such as blood, are described herein. The mesh can be partially or completely biodegradable or non-biodegradable. In one embodiment, the mesh is formed from one or more self-assembling peptides. The peptides can be in the form of fibers, such as nanofibers. The peptides can be assembled prior to formation of the mesh or after the mesh has been formed but before it is applied. Alternatively, the mesh can be prepared from unassembled peptides, which assemble at the time of application. The peptides can assemble upon contact with bodily fluids (e.g., blood) or can be contacted with an ionic solution to initiate assembly.

The present invention relates to a self-assembling polypeptide, such as a silk polypeptide including a spider silk polypeptide, for use as tissue adhesive. The present invention also relates to the use of a self-assembling polypeptide such as a silk polypeptide as tissue adhesive. Further, the invention is directed to the use of a self-assembling polypeptide such as a silk polypeptide to glue one or more cosmetic compounds on skin, mucosa, and/or hair. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a self-assembling polypeptide such as a silk polypeptide for use in gluing one or more pharmaceutical compounds on tissue, skin, mucosa, and/or hair.