Compositions and methods are provided for treating Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) in a subject. In one aspect, a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector is provided which includes a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding Lebercilin. In another aspect, Lebercilin has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. In yet another aspect, the nucleic acid molecule has a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or a variant thereof. In desired embodiments, the subject is human, cat, dog, sheep, or non-human primate.

Cell penetrating peptides that target many cells types including cells of the retina and cornea with high efficiency are provided herein. These peptides can be used to deliver cargo molecules across a plasma membrane, without the need for chemical conjugation. Compositions and viral vectors comprising these cell-penetrating peptides are also provided. Methods of using the peptides, compositions and viruses to deliver various agents to target cells and tissues are also provided.

Cell penetrating peptides that target many cells types including cells of the retina and cornea with high efficiency are provided herein. These peptides can be used to deliver cargo molecules across a plasma membrane, without the need for chemical conjugation. Compositions and viral vectors comprising these cell-penetrating peptides are also provided. Methods of using the peptides, compositions and viruses to deliver various agents to target cells and tissues are also provided.

The present invention relates to pre-formulations comprising low viscosity, non-liquid crystalline, mixtures of: a) at least one neutral diacyl lipid and/or at least one tocopherol; b) at least one phospholipid; c) at least one biocompatible, oxygen containing, low viscosity organic solvent;
wherein at least one bioactive agent is dissolved or dispersed in the low viscosity mixture and wherein the pre-formulation forms, or is capable of forming, at least one liquid crystalline phase structure upon contact with an aqueous fluid. The preformulations are suitable for generating parenteral, non-parenteral and topical depot compositions for sustained release of active agents. The invention additionally relates to a method of delivery of an active agent comprising administration of a preformulation of the invention, a method of treatment comprising administration of a preformulation of the invention and the use of a preformulation of the invention in a method for the manufacture of a medicament.

Products, compositions, systems, and methods for modifying a target structure which mediates or is associated with a biological activity, including treatment of conditions, disorders, or diseases mediated by or associated with a target structure, such as a virus, cell, subcellular structure or extracellular structure. The methods may be performed in situ in a non-invasive manner by application of an initiation energy to a subject thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure directly or via a modulation agent. The methods may further be performed by application of an initiation energy to a subject in situ to activate a pharmaceutical agent directly or via an energy modulation agent, optionally in the presence of one or more plasmonics active agents, thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure. Kits containing products or compositions formulated or configured and systems for use in practicing these methods.

A compound of the following general formula [I]:

##STR00001##

wherein each symbol has the same meaning as defined herein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a solvate thereof, and a pharmaceutical use of the same in treating organ transplant rejection, graft versus host reaction after transplantation, autoimmune disease, allergic disease and chronic myeloproliferative disease.

A method of treating a subject with dry-form age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is disclosed. The method comprises administering into the subretina of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising human RPE cells, wherein at least 95% of the cells thereof co-express premelanosome protein (PMEL17) and cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP), and wherein the trans-epithelial electrical resistance of the cells is greater than 100 ohms to the subject, thereby treating the subject.

The present invention is directed to a compound of Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Compounds of Formula (I) are CD38 inhibitors, which can be used to treat a disease or condition in a subject that benefits from an increase in NAD.sup.+ or to treat a mitochondrial disorder in a subject. Such disease or condition is a muscle structure disorder, a neuronal activation disorder, a muscle fatigue disorder, a muscle mass disorder, a metabolic disease, a cancer, a vascular disease, an ocular vascular disease, a muscular eye disease, or a renal disease. The present description discloses the synthesis and characterisation of exemplary compounds as well as pharmacological data thereof (e.g. pages 30 to 135; examples 1 to 61; table). Such an exemplary compound is e.g. N-((1r,4r)-4-(2-methoxyethoxy) cyclohexyl)-5-(thiazol-5-yl)-1H-indole-7-carboxamide (II).

##STR00001##

A synthetic peptide including the sequence SHXGY (SEQ ID NO:2) is described as are methods of using the same for promoting wound healing and epithelial cell migration.

A synthetic peptide including the sequence SHXGY (SEQ ID NO:2) is described as are methods of using the same for promoting wound healing and epithelial cell migration.