Disclosed herein, inter alia, are methods of use and composition of novel inhibitors that target the Smac binding site of a variety of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins that contain a Bir domain, including XIAP, cIAP1, cIAP2, or other IAP proteins.

The present invention relates to a method of producing glutathione, wherein photosynthetic membrane vesicles and enzymes catalyzing glutathione synthesis are combined and glutamate, cysteine and glycine are used as reaction substrates. As enzymes catalyzing glutathione synthesis, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and glutathione synthetase may be used together, or bifunctional glutathione synthetase may be used alone. According to the conventional methods, there is a problem in that expensive adenosine triphosphate should be continuously supplied when glutathione is produced. However, according to the present invention, since photosynthetic membrane vesicles are used as a source to regenerate adenosine triphosphate, it is possible to continuously produce glutathione without additionally adding adenosine triphosphate, thereby reducing production costs of glutathione.

The invention relates to novel benzodiazepine derivatives with antiproliferative activity and more specifically to novel benzodiazepine compounds of formula (I)-(VI). The invention also provides conjugates of the benzodiazepine compounds linked to a cell-binding agent. The invention further provides compositions and methods useful for inhibiting abnormal cell growth or treating a proliferative disorder in a mammal using the compounds or conjugates of the invention.

The present disclosure provides thirteen synthetic peptides which have been shown to be FGF18 agonists. These synthetic peptides and topical compositions for decreasing, eliminating, or suppressing hair growth are disclosed herein. Methods for reducing hair growth, improving the appearance of skin, kits, and related cosmetic formulations are also provided herein.

A PSMA-specific agent comprising a compound according to Formula I or Formula II: wherein S.sub.1 is absent or is an organic spacer group comprising 3-10 carbons; A is an amino acid chain comprising 1 to 5 amino acids wherein at least one of the amino acids is selected from glutamic acid and aspartic acid; S2 is absent or is an organic spacer group comprising 1 to 15 carbons and/or 0 to 2 amino acids; I.sub.1 is an imaging group; and I.sub.2 is absent or is an imaging group. The PSMA-specific agents can be used to image PSMA within a tissue region and/or for the treatment of a cancer, such as prostate cancer.

##STR00001##

Antigenic compositions comprising one or more labyrinthin-derived peptides are described herein. In some embodiment, each peptide of the antigenic composition comprises a T-cell epitope and/or a B-cell epitope. In other aspects, the present disclosure provides, e.g., vaccine compositions comprising tin antigenic composition disclosed herein, including kits, medicines, and compositions (such as pharmaceutical compositions and unit dosages) thereof. Also provided are methods of using the compositions disclosed herein, such as methods of treatment thereof and methods of producing antibodies, and antibody compositions thereof, against the one or more labyrinthin-derived peptides or a portion thereof.

A bio-related substance bonded to a branched and degradable polyethylene glycol derivative that is degraded in the cells represented by the following formula (A):

##STR00001##

wherein each symbol is as defined in the present specification, is provided by the present invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a peptide with high efficiency, and a method for producing a peptide which comprises the following steps (1) and (2): (1) a step of mixing an N-protected amino acid or an N-protected peptide with a carboxylic acid halide represented by the formula (I)

##STR00001##

(wherein X represents a halogen atom,
R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represent an aliphatic hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent, and a total number of the carbon atoms in R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is 3 to 40); and (2) a step of mixing the product obtained in the step (1) and a C-protected amino acid or a C-protected peptide
is provided.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a novel peptide that can be used to treat, prevent, or ameliorate mood disorders. The present invention provides a peptide that has an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 and is 3 to 5 (inclusive) amino acids long. The peptide may consist of an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, or SEQ ID NO: 4.

The present invention provides compounds of formula (I) ##STR00001## wherein X, L.sup.1 and R.sup.1 to R.sup.10 are as described herein, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Further the present invention is concerned with the manufacture of the compounds of formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and their use as medicaments for the treatment of diseases and infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii.