Details for Patent: 7,226,990

Title:	Extendin derivatives
Abstract:	The present invention relates to novel derivatives of exendin-4 or exendin-4 fragments, wherein the derivatives have a lipophilic substituent attached, optionally via a spacer, to an amino acid residue, which is not the N-terminal or C-terminal amino acid residue of the derivative.
Inventor(s):	Knudsen; Liselotte Bjerre (Valby, DK), Huusfeldt; Per Olaf (Copenhagen K, DK), Nielsen; Per Franklin (V.ae butted.rlose, DK), Madsen; Kjeld (Vaerlose, DK)
Assignee:	Novo Nordisk A/S (Bagsvaerd, DK)
Filing Date:	Jun 21, 2001
Application Number:	09/886,311
Claims:	1. A derivative of exendin-4 or a fragment thereof, wherein said derivative has one lipophilic substituent attached, optionally via a spacer, to an amino acid residue of said exendin-4 or fragment thereof, which is not the N-terminal or C-terminal amino acid residue of said exendin-4 or fragment thereof, wherein said fragment has insulinotropic activity. 2. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a derivative of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle or carrier. 3. A method of treating insulin dependent or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in a patient in need of such a treatment, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a derivative of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 4. The derivative of claim 1, wherein the lipophilic substituent has 4 to 40 carbon atoms. 5. The derivative of claim 4, wherein the lipophilic substituent has 8 to 25 carbon atoms. 6. The derivative of claim 4, wherein the lipophilic substituent is attached by means of a spacer. 7. The derivative of claim 6, wherein the spacer is an unbranched alkane .alpha.,.omega.-dicarboxylic acid group having from 1 to 7 methylene groups. 8. The derivative of claim 4, wherein the lipophilic substituent is a straight-chain or branched acyl group. 9. The derivative of claim 8, wherein the acyl group is of the formula CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.nCO--, wherein n is 4 to 38. 10. The derivative of claim 9, wherein the acyl group is CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.6CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.8CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.10CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.12CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.14CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.16CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.18CO--, CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.20CO-- or CH.sub.3(CH.sub.2).sub.22CO--.