A method and apparatus for conducting chemical reactions under controlled conditions, where one compound is in stochiometric excess over the other, using membrane filtration.

A method and apparatus for conducting chemical reactions under controlled conditions, where one compound is in stochiometric excess over the other, using membrane filtration.

The present invention relates to a therapeutic polypeptide and methods for its creation and use for modulating an immune response in a host organism in need thereof. In particular, the invention relates to the administration to an organism in need thereof, of an effective amount of a pre-coupled polypeptide complex comprising a lymphokine polypeptide portion, for example IL-15 (SEQ ID NO: 5, 6), IL-2 (SEQ ID NO: 10, 12) or combinations of both, and an interleukin receptor polypeptide portion, for example IL-15Ra (SEQ ID NO: 7, 8), IL-2Ra (SEQ ID NO: 9, 11) or combinations of both, for augmenting the immune system in, for example, cancer, SCID, AIDS, or vaccination; or inhibiting the immune system in, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, or Lupus. The therapeutic complex of the invention surprisingly demonstrates increased half-life, and efficacy in vivo.

The present invention relates to a therapeutic polypeptide and methods for its creation and use for modulating an immune response in a host organism in need thereof. In particular, the invention relates to the administration to an organism in need thereof, of an effective amount of a pre-coupled polypeptide complex comprising a lymphokine polypeptide portion, for example IL-15 (SEQ ID NO: 5, 6), IL-2 (SEQ ID NO: 10, 12) or combinations of both, and an interleukin receptor polypeptide portion, for example IL-15Ra (SEQ ID NO: 7, 8), IL-2Ra (SEQ ID NO: 9, 11) or combinations of both, for augmenting the immune system in, for example, cancer, SCID, AIDS, or vaccination; or inhibiting the immune system in, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, or Lupus. The therapeutic complex of the invention surprisingly demonstrates increased half-life, and efficacy in vivo.

A method for producing a peptide by conducting steps (1) condensing an N-protected amino acid or an N-protected peptide to an N-terminus of a C-protected amino acid or a C-protected peptide represented by formula (II):

##STR00001##

wherein Y represents an amino acid or a peptide with an unprotected N-terminus; R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represent an optionally substituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, or OR.sup.4 (wherein R.sup.4 represents an optionally substituted aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group; two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may form a 5- to 7-membered ring together with the Si atom to which they are bonded; and the R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3Si group has 8 or more carbon atoms and is bonded to a C-terminus of an amino acid or a peptide in Y, and (2) removing the protective group at the N-terminus of the peptide obtained in step (1).

This application describes a compound represented by Formula (I):
YZX.sup.1S(O)(X.sup.2)F).sub.m].sub.n(I)
wherein: Y is a biologically active organic core group comprising one or more of an aryl group, a heteroaryl aryl group, a nonaromatic hydrocarbyl group, and a nonaromatic heterocyclic group, to which Z is covalently bonded; n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; m is 1 or 2; Z is O, NR, or N; X.sup.1 is a covalent bond or CH.sub.2CH.sub.2, X.sup.2 is O or NR; and R comprises H or a substituted or unsubstituted group selected from an aryl group, a heteroaryl aryl group, a nonaromatic hydrocarbyl group, and a nonaromatic heterocyclic group. Methods of preparing the compounds, methods of using the compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds are described as well.

This application describes a compound represented by Formula (I):
YZX.sup.1S(O)(X.sup.2)F).sub.m].sub.n(I)
wherein: Y is a biologically active organic core group comprising one or more of an aryl group, a heteroaryl aryl group, a nonaromatic hydrocarbyl group, and a nonaromatic heterocyclic group, to which Z is covalently bonded; n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; m is 1 or 2; Z is O, NR, or N; X.sup.1 is a covalent bond or CH.sub.2CH.sub.2, X.sup.2 is O or NR; and R comprises H or a substituted or unsubstituted group selected from an aryl group, a heteroaryl aryl group, a nonaromatic hydrocarbyl group, and a nonaromatic heterocyclic group. Methods of preparing the compounds, methods of using the compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds are described as well.

A high-throughput screening methods for identifying candidate anticancer medicinal agents is described herein. The candidate anticancer medicinal agents are arylfluorosulfate compounds derived from phenolic compounds. The method involves in situ generation of the arylfluorosulfate compounds in multi-well plates by reaction of phenolic compounds in DMSO with a saturated solution of SO.sub.2F.sub.2 dissolved in a solvent such as acetonitrile, in the presence of an organic base, followed by reaction of generated fluoride ion with trimethylsilyl chloride to form volatile trimethylsilyl fluoride. Solvents, organic base, and silyl compounds are then removed, in vacuo, to afford the arylfluorosulfate compounds suitable for biological screening in cancer cell lines without further purification.

A high-throughput screening methods for identifying candidate anticancer medicinal agents is described herein. The candidate anticancer medicinal agents are arylfluorosulfate compounds derived from phenolic compounds. The method involves in situ generation of the arylfluorosulfate compounds in multi-well plates by reaction of phenolic compounds in DMSO with a saturated solution of SO.sub.2F.sub.2 dissolved in a solvent such as acetonitrile, in the presence of an organic base, followed by reaction of generated fluoride ion with trimethylsilyl chloride to form volatile trimethylsilyl fluoride. Solvents, organic base, and silyl compounds are then removed, in vacuo, to afford the arylfluorosulfate compounds suitable for biological screening in cancer cell lines without further purification.

The invention further relates to a process for the enzymatic synthesis of an (oligo)peptide. The invention relates to a method for designing an enzymatic synthesis process of an (oligo)peptide, comprising identifying two or more (oligo)peptide fragments of an (oligo)peptide, which fragments are (oligo)peptides suitable for preparing the (oligo)peptide by enzymatic condensation of the two or more peptide fragments using a ligase. The invention relates to a method for designing an enzymatic synthesis process of a cyclic (oligo)peptide, comprising identifying a non-cyclic (oligo)peptide from which the cyclic (oligo)peptide can be prepared by cyclisation, catalysed by a cyclase. The invention further relates to a process for the enzymatic synthesis of an (oligo)peptide.