Claims for Patent: 5,464,933

Summary for Patent: 5,464,933

Title:	Synthetic peptide inhibitors of HIV transmission
Abstract:	The present invention relates to peptides which exhibit potent anti-retroviral activity. The peptides of the invention comprise DP-178 (SEQ ID:1) ptides corresponding to amino acids 638 to 673 of the HIV-1.sub.LAI gp41 protein, and fragments, analogs and homologs of DP-178. The invention further relates to the uses of such peptides as inhibitory of human and non-human retroviral, especially HIV, transmission to uninfected cells.
Inventor(s):	Bolognesi; Dani P. (Durham, NC), Matthews; Thomas J. (Durham, NC), Wild; Carl T. (Durham, NC)
Assignee:	Duke University (Durham, NC)
Application Number:	08/073,028
Patent Claims:	1. A peptide having a formula selected from the group consisting of: X-YTSLIHSLIEESQNQQEKNEQELLELDKWASLWNWF-Z ( SEQ ID: 1) X-YTNTIYTLLEESQNQQEKNEQELLELDKWASLWNWF-Z (SEQ ID NO:3) X-YTGIIYNLLEESQNQQEKNEQELLELDKWANLWNWF-Z (SEQ ID NO:4) X-YTSLIYSLLEKSQIQQEKNEQELLELDKWASLWNWF-Z (SEQ ID NO:5) X-LEANISKSLEQAQIQQEKNMYELQKLNSWDIFGNWF-Z (SEQ ID NO:6) and X-LEANISQSLEQAQIQQEKNMYELQKLNSWDVFTNWL-Z (SEQ ID NO:7), in which: amino acid residues are presented by the single-letter code; X comprises an amino group, an acetyl group, a 9-fluorenylmethoxy-carbonyl group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecule carrier group; Z comprises a carboxyl group, an amido group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group. 2. The peptide of claim 1 wherein X is a hydrophobic group. 3. The peptide of claim 2 wherein the hydrophobic group X is carbobenzoxyl, dansyl, or t-butyloxycarbonyl. 4. The peptide of claim 1 wherein Z is a hydrophobic group. 5. The peptide of claim 4 wherein the hydrophobic group Z is t-butyloxycarbonyl. 6. The peptide of claim 1 wherein X is a macromolecular carrier group. 7. The peptide of claim 6 wherein the macromolecular carrier group is a lipid-fatty acid conjugate, a polyethylene glycol, or a carbohydrate moiety. 8. The peptide of claim 1 wherein Z is a macromolecular carrier group. 9. The peptide of claim 8 wherein the macromolecular carrier group Z is a lipid-fatty acid conjugate, a polyethylene glycol, or a carbohydrate moiety. 10. The peptide of claim 1 wherein at least one bond linking adjacent amino acid residues is a non-peptide bond. 11. The peptide of claim 10 wherein the non-peptide bond is an imino, ester, hydrazine, semicarbazide, or azo bond. 12. The peptide of claim 1 wherein at least one amino acid residue is in a D-isomer configuration. 13. The peptide of claim 1 further comprising at least one amino acid substitution wherein a first amino acid residue is substituted for a second, different amino acid residue. 14. The peptide of claim 13 wherein the amino acid substitution is a conserved substitution. 15. The peptide of claim 13 wherein the amino acid substitution is a non-conserved substitution. 16. The peptide homolog of claim 1 wherein the HIV retrovirus is a HIV-1 retrovirus. 17. The peptide homolog of claim 16 wherein the HIV-1 retrovirus is HIV-1.sub.SF2. 18. The peptide homolog of claim 16 wherein the retrovirus is HIV-1.sub.RF. 19. The peptide homolog of claim 16 wherein the retrovirus is HIV-1.sub.MN.