The present invention relates to a method for body weight control in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering an effective amount of a thiolated chitosan to the subject. In particular, the thiolated chitosan of the present invention comprises a plurality of thiol groups covalently bonded to a chitosan moiety thereof. The thiolated chitosan of the present invention can be orally administered, which is effective in slowing down body weight gain and has good biocompatibility.

A particular Bifidobacterium spp. strain or particular Lactobacillus spp. strain according to the present invention is isolated from excrement of a human or cabbage kimchi, and thus is highly safe and has physiological activities such as an immunity regulatory effect and an inflammation reaction inhibiting effect. Therefore, the particular Bifidobacterium spp. strain or particular Lactobacillus spp. strain according to the present invention may be used as a material for regulating immunity and inhibiting inflammation reactions, and may be also used as a functional food and drug material useful for preventing, alleviating or treating rhinitis, atopy, asthma, etc. which are allergic diseases.

A layered drug delivery device which includes a polymeric tissue interface layer and a polymeric backing layer. The polymeric tissue interface layer includes at least one ther-apeutic agent.

A layered drug delivery device which includes a polymeric tissue interface layer and a polymeric backing layer. The polymeric tissue interface layer includes at least one ther-apeutic agent.

A particular Bifidobacterium spp. strain or particular Lactobacillus spp. strain according to the present invention is isolated from excrement of a human or cabbage kimchi, and thus is highly safe and has physiological activities such as an immunity regulatory effect and an inflammation reaction inhibiting effect. Therefore, the particular Bifidobacterium spp. strain or particular Lactobacillus spp. strain according to the present invention may be used as a material for regulating immunity and inhibiting inflammation reactions, and may be also used as a functional food and drug material useful for preventing, alleviating or treating rhinitis, atopy, asthma, etc. which are allergic diseases.

A drug delivery system is described comprising a detachable support and a plurality of drug-loaded transdermal microneedles, for delivering drugs into gingival tissue for the treatment of periodontal disease.

The present invention provides therapeutic molecules for combating sepsis. The invention provides proteins capable of improving survival through immunomodulation in post septicaemia in mammals and oligosaccharides, capable of immuno modulating inflammation in a mammal. The invention provides protein homologs of human HSP70 derived from nematode Setaria digitata and their recombinant forms and oligosaccharides and their role in immunomodulating inflammatory response in a mammal. The invention also provides a composition comprising therapeutic and/or prophylactic proteins and oligosaccharide molecules for immunomodulation in sepsis; and method for treating and/or preventing sepsis, MODS (multiple organ dysfunction syndrome) or septic shock in a mammal.

A method of treatment or prevention of HIV and other viral infection comprising the administration of a biopolymer-based hydrogel nanoparticles and/or microparticles. In preferred embodiments, the particles comprise chitosan, hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), and linseed oil polyol. These biopolymer-based hydrogel nanoparticles and/or microparticles are antiviral agents that can be employed alone or in combination with other drugs for treatment of the viral infection. Further, the pre-treatment with the particles is highly effective at inhibiting viruses. Therefore, this antiviral biopolymer-based hydrogel nanoparticles and/or microparticles may also be employed as a prophylactic.

The present invention relates, in general, to pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including toll-like receptors (TLRs), and, in particular, to a method of inhibiting nucleic acid-induced activation of, for example, endosomal TLRs using an agent that binds to the nucleic acid (“nucleic acid binding agent”), preferably, in a manner that is independent of the nucleotide sequence, the chemistry (e.g., DNA or RNA, with or without base or sugar modifications) and/or the structure (e.g., double-stranded or single-stranded, complexed or uncomplexed with, for example protein) of the nucleic acid(s) responsible for inducing TLR activation. The invention also relates to methods of identifying nucleic acid binding agents suitable for use in such methods.

The present invention relates, in general, to pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including toll-like receptors (TLRs), and, in particular, to a method of inhibiting nucleic acid-induced activation of, for example, endosomal TLRs using an agent that binds to the nucleic acid (“nucleic acid binding agent”), preferably, in a manner that is independent of the nucleotide sequence, the chemistry (e.g., DNA or RNA, with or without base or sugar modifications) and/or the structure (e.g., double-stranded or single-stranded, complexed or uncomplexed with, for example protein) of the nucleic acid(s) responsible for inducing TLR activation. The invention also relates to methods of identifying nucleic acid binding agents suitable for use in such methods.