Mucin hypersecretion inhibitors and methods of use

1. An N-terminal- and/or C-terminal-chemically modified peptide, which peptide consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence of from 7 to 23 contiguous amino acids of a reference sequence, GAQFSKTAAKGEAAAERPGEAAVA (SEQ ID NO:1); and

(b) an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence defined in (a);

wherein

(i) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is optionally chemically modified; or

(ii) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is not chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is chemically modified and is not myristoylated;

with the proviso that said chemically modified peptide contains no more than 23 amino acids; and

wherein said chemically modified peptide has a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect when administered to a mammal in a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting amount.

2. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the N-terminal amino acid of the reference sequence.

3. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the amino acid at position 2 through the amino acid at position 18 of the reference sequence.

4. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide includes the contiguous residues AKGE (SEQ ID NO: 219) of the reference sequence.

5. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide ends at the C-terminal amino acid of the reference sequence.

6. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is alkylated, amidated, or acylated at the N-terminal amino group.

7. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is acetylated at the N-terminal amino group.

8. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein said peptide is acetyl-PEPTIDE 106, acetyl-PEPTIDE 106-NH 2 , myristoyl-PEPTIDE 106-NH 2 or PEPTIDE 106-NH 2 .

9. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of the amino acid sequence of PEPTIDE 106, the amino acid sequence of PEPTDE 124, the amino acid sequence of PEPTIDE 137, the amino acid sequence of PEPTIDE 153, the amino acid sequence of PEPTIDE 79, and the amino acid sequence of PEPTIDE 159.

10. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid is alkylated at the N-terminal amine with a C1 to C24 aliphatic alkyl group, a linear 2-(C1 to C24 aliphatic alkyl)oxyethyl group, or an omega-methoxy-poly(ethyleneoxy)n-ethyl group, where n is from 0 to 10.

11. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid is amidated or acylated at the N-terminal amine with a trifluoroacetic acid, benzoic acid, a C 1 to C 24 aliphatic carboxylic acid or a C1 to C24 aliphatic alkyl sulfonic acid.

12. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the C-terminal amino acid of the peptide is amidated or esterified at the C-terminal carboxyl group.

13. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the C-terminal amino acid is amidated at the C-terminal carboxyl group with ammonia, a C1 to C24 aliphatic alkyl amine, a hydroxyl-substituted C2 to C24 aliphatic alkyl amine, a linear 2-(C1 to C24 aliphatic alkyl)oxyethylamine group, or an omega-methoxy-poly(ethyleneoxy)n-ethylamine group, where n is from 0 to 10.

14. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the C-terminal amino acid is esterified at the C-terminal carboxyl group with a C1 to C24 aliphatic alkyl alcohol or a 2-(omega-methoxy-poly(ethyleneoxy)n)-ethanol group, where n is from of 0 to 10.

15. The modified peptide of claim 1 , wherein the peptide exhibits at least one of the properties of (a) greater mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect on a mammal than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, when administered to said mammal at equal concentrations or (b) greater aqueous solubility than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, at equal concentrations in the same liquid.

16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

17. An N-terminal- and/or C-terminal-chemically modified peptide, which peptide consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence of from 7 to 23 contiguous amino acids of a reference sequence GAQFSKTAAKGEAAAERPGEAAVA (SEQ ID NO:1); and

(b) an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence defined in (a);

wherein the N-terminal sequence of the modified peptide begins at position 2 through position 18 of the reference sequence, and wherein

(i) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is chemically modified; or

(ii) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is not chemically modified; or

(iii) the N-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the C-terminal amino acid of the peptide is not chemically modified;

with the proviso that said chemically modified peptide contains no more than 23 amino acids; and,

wherein the peptide has a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect when administered to a mammal in a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting amount.

18. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of (a) is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 2-171.

19. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.

20. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 17 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

21. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 20 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.

22. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 18 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

23. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.

24. An N-terminal- and/or C-terminal-chemically modified peptide, which peptide consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence of from 7 to 16 contiguous amino acids of a reference sequence, GAQFSKTAAKGEAAAERPGEAAVA (SEQ ID NO:1); and

(b) an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence defined in (a);

wherein

(i) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is optionally chemically modified; or

(ii) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is not chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is chemically modified and is not myristoylated;

with the proviso that said chemically modified peptide contains no more than 16 amino acids; and

wherein said chemically modified peptide has a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect when administered to a mammal in a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting amount.

25. The modified peptide of claim 24 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the N-terminal amino acid of the reference sequence.

26. The modified peptide of claim 24 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the amino acid at position 2 through the amino acid at position 18 of the reference sequence.

27. The modified peptide of claim 24 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is alkylated, amidated, or acylated at the N-terminal amino group.

28. The modified peptide of claim 24 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is acetylated at the N-terminal amino group.

29. The modified peptide of claim 24 , wherein the peptide exhibits at least one of the properties of (a) greater mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect on a mammal than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, when administered to said mammal at equal concentrations or (b) greater aqueous solubility than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, at equal concentrations in the same liquid.

30. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 24 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

31. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 30 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.

32. An N-terminal- and/or C-terminal-chemically modified peptide, which peptide consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence of from 7 to 14 contiguous amino acids of a reference sequence, GAQFSKTAAKGEAAAERPGEAAVA (SEQ ID NO:1); and

(b) an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence defined in (a);

wherein

(i) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is optionally chemically modified; or

(ii) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is not chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is chemically modified and is not myristoylated;

with the proviso that said chemically modified peptide contains no more than 14 amino acids; and

wherein said chemically modified peptide has a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect when administered to a mammal in a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting amount.

33. The modified peptide of claim 32 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the N-terminal amino acid of the reference sequence.

34. The modified peptide of claim 32 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the amino acid at position 2 through the amino acid at position 18 of the reference sequence.

35. The modified peptide of claim 32 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is alkylated, amidated, or acylated at the N-terminal amino group.

36. The modified peptide of claim 32 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is acetylated at the N-terminal amino group.

37. The modified peptide of claim 32 , wherein the peptide exhibits at least one of the properties of (a) greater mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect on a mammal than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, when administered to said mammal at equal concentrations or (b) greater aqueous solubility than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, at equal concentrations in the same liquid.

38. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 32 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

39. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 38 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.

40. An N-terminal- and/or C-terminal-chemically modified peptide, which peptide consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence of from 7 to 12 contiguous amino acids of a reference sequence, GAQFSKTAAKGEAAAERPGEAAVA (SEQ ID NO:1); and

(b) an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence defined in (a);

wherein (

i) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is optionally chemically modified; or

(ii) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is not chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is chemically modified and is not myristoylated;

with the proviso that said chemically modified peptide contains no more than 12 amino acids; and

wherein said chemically modified peptide has a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect when administered to a mammal in a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting amount.

41. The modified peptide of claim 40 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the N-terminal amino acid of the reference sequence.

42. The modified peptide of claim 40 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the amino acid at position 2 through the amino acid at position 18 of the reference sequence.

43. The modified peptide of claim 40 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is alkylated, amidated, or acylated at the N-terminal amino group.

44. The modified peptide of claim 40 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is acetylated at the N-terminal amino group.

45. The modified peptide of claim 40 , wherein the peptide exhibits at least one of the properties of (a) greater mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect on a mammal than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, when administered to said mammal at equal concentrations or (b) greater aqueous solubility than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, at equal concentrations in the same liquid.

46. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 40 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

47. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 46 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.

48. An N-terminal- and/or C-terminal-chemically modified peptide, which peptide consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an amino acid sequence of from 7 to 10 contiguous amino acids of a reference sequence, GAQFSKTAAKGEAAAERPGEAAVA (SEQ ID NO:1); and

(b) an amino acid sequence substantially identical to the sequence defined in (a);

wherein

(i) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is optionally chemically modified; or

(ii) the C-terminal amino acid of said chemically modified peptide is not chemically modified and the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is chemically modified and is not myristoylated;

with the proviso that said chemically modified peptide contains no more than 10 amino acids; and

wherein said chemically modified peptide has a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect when administered to a mammal in a mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting amount.

49. The modified peptide of claim 48 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the N-terminal amino acid of the reference sequence.

50. The modified peptide of claim 48 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the peptide begins at the amino acid at position 2 through the amino acid at position 18 of the reference sequence.

51. The modified peptide of claim 48 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is alkylated, amidated, or acylated at the N-terminal amino group.

52. The modified peptide of claim 48 , wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the peptide is acetylated at the N-terminal amino group.

53. The modified peptide of claim 48 , wherein the peptide exhibits at least one of the properties of (a) greater mucin hypersecretion-inhibiting effect on a mammal than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, when administered to said mammal at equal concentrations or (b) greater aqueous solubility than SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the N-terminal amino acid is myristoylated, at equal concentrations in the same liquid.

54. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 48 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

55. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 54 , wherein said composition is suitable for pulmonary administration.