The present disclosure relates to a glycopeptide targeting cancer cells and a contrast agent kit containing the same. The glycopeptide is one wherein an azide reporting monosaccharide is bound to a substrate peptide. As the substrate peptide is specifically cleaved by cathepsin B in cancer cells, an azide reporting monosaccharide is expressed onto the cell surface via metabolic glycoengineering, thereby providing a target for action as a contrast agent. Accordingly, because the azide is exposed to the cell surface only by cathepsin B, as it is specifically expressed in cancer cells, in particular in metastatic cancer cells, while it is limitedly expressed in normal cells and is hardly excreted out the cells, the cancer cells can be selectively imaged by an azide-specific contrast agent.

The invention relates to functional lipid constructs and their use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, including serodiagnosis, where the functional moiety is carbohydrate, peptide, chemically reactive group, conjugator or fluorophore.

Peptides are provided herein, wherein the peptide bearing one or more amino acid sequence differences relative to SEQ ID NO: 1, with the amino acid sequence differences comprising at least one cysteine replacement.

The present invention provides oligopeptides, in particular, Ang-(1-7) derivatives, and methods for using and producing the same. In one particular embodiment, oligopeptides of the invention have higher blood-brain barrier penetration and/or in vivo half-life compared to the native Ang-(1-7), thereby allowing oligopeptides of the invention to be used in a wide variety of clinical applications including in treatment of cognitive dysfunction and/of impairment.

Osteoinductive, bone morphogenic protein receptor-binding peptides are disclosed. The peptides may be used to coat or infuse scaffolds for use as implants into bone for enhancing the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and/or osteoblasts in the bone.

The invention relates to a glycoprotein-toxic pay-load molecule conjugate, a toxic payload molecule-glycan conjugate, and a pharmaceutical composi-tion. The invention further relates to a method for preparing the glycoprotein-toxic payload molecule conjugate, the method for modulating growth of a cell population and a method of treating tu-mour cells.

The preparation of water dispersible ceramide conjugates and derivatives of sphingolipid analogues is described. The conjugates and analogues are prepared by reacting a succinimidyl carbonate of a β-Ala derivative with the primary amine of a functionalised spacer. Despite their dispersibility in water, the ceramide conjugates and derivatives of sphingolipid analogues spontaneously incorporate into the plasma membranes of cells.

The present invention relates to peptides with alternating stereochemistry. In particular, the invention relates to peptides comprising alternating stereochemistry of (LDLD) in the first four amino acid residues. The invention further contemplates the use of peptides with alternating stereochemistry in treating pain.

The preparation of water dispersible ceramide conjugates and derivatives of sphingolipid analogues is described. The conjugates and analogues are prepared by reacting a succinimidyl carbonate of a β-Ala derivative with the primary amine of a functionalised spacer. Despite their dispersibility in water, the ceramide conjugates and derivatives of sphingolipid analogues spontaneously incorporate in to the plasma membranes of cells.

The present disclosure relates to an in vitro method for enhancing engraftment of neurosensory precursor cell comprising the step of contacting an isolated neurosensory precursor cell prior to a transplantation in a subject in need thereof, with a gem-difluorinated C-glycopeptide compound of general formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable base, addition salt with an acid, hydrate or solvate thereof: ##STR00001##