Modified growth hormone

1. A modified growth hormone polypeptide, or an active portion thereof, comprising an amino acid replacement of Y with I in an unmodified growth hormone polypeptide at a locus corresponding to amino acid Y42 of a mature growth hormone polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the amino acid replacement is the only amino acid replacement in the polypeptide, wherein:

the active portion thereof includes the position corresponding to Y42.

2. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 1 that includes a signal sequence.

3. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 1 that is a mature polypeptide lacking the signal sequence.

4. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid replacement is in an unmodified growth hormone that is a pituitary growth hormone comprising a sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:713, allelic or species variants, alternative splice variants, or an active portion thereof that includes the position corresponding to Y42.

5. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid replacement is made in an unmodified growth hormone that is a placental growth hormone.

6. The modified growth hormone of claim 5 , wherein the unmodified placental growth hormone comprises a sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:712, or a mature form thereof, allelic or species variants, alternative splice variants, or an active portion thereof that includes the position corresponding to Y42.

7. The modified growth hormone of claim 1 , comprising the sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO: 59, or an active portion thereof that includes I at position 42.

8. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 1 .

9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 8 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for oral administration.

10. A method, comprising orally administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 to a subject, wherein the subject has a disease or condition that is treated by the administration of a growth hormone.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the disease or condition is selected from among a growth deficiency disorder, AIDS wasting, aging, impaired immune function of HIV-infected subjects, a catabolic illness, surgical recovery, a congestive cardiomyopathy, liver transplantation, liver regeneration after hepatectomy, chronic renal failure, renal osteodystrophy, osteoporosis, achondroplasia/hypochondroplasia, skeletal dysplasia, a chronic inflammatory or nutritional disorder such as Crohn's disease, short bowel syndrome, juvenile chronic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, male infertility, X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets, Down's syndrome, Spina bifida, Noonan Syndrome, obesity, impaired muscle strength and fibromyalgia.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the growth deficiency disorder is selected from among Turner's syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation, idiopathic short stature, Prader Willi syndrome, and thalassaemia.

13. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 that is formulated as a tablet or capsule.

14. A method, comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 8 to a subject, wherein the subject has a disease or condition that is treated by the administration of a growth hormone.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the disease or condition is selected from among a growth deficiency disorder, AIDS wasting, aging, impaired immune function of HIV-infected subjects, a catabolic illness, surgical recovery, a congestive cardiomyopathy, liver transplantation, liver regeneration after hepatectomy, chronic renal failure, renal osteodystrophy, osteoporosis, achondroplasia/hypochondroplasia, skeletal dysplasia, a chronic inflammatory or nutritional disorder such as Crohn's disease, short bowel syndrome, juvenile chronic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, male infertility, X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets, Down's syndrome, Spina bifida, Noonan Syndrome, obesity, impaired muscle strength and fibromyalgia.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the growth deficiency disorder is selected from among Turner's syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation, idiopathic short stature, Prader Willi syndrome, and thalassaemia.

17. A modified growth hormone polypeptide, comprising:

an amino acid replacement of Y with I in an unmodified growth hormone polypeptide at a locus corresponding to amino acid Y42 of a mature growth hormone polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1; and

only one to five further amino acid replacements at positions corresponding to F1, P2, P5, R8, L9, F10, D11, M14, R16, R19, L23, F25, D26, E30, E32, E33, P37, K38, E39, K41, L52, F54, L73, E74, R77, L80, L81, L82, W86, L87, P89, L93, F97, Y103, D107, Y111, D112, L113,L114, K115, D116, L117, E118, E119, L124, M125, R127, L128, F139, D153, D154, L156, L157, K158, L162, L163, F166, R167, K168, D169, M170, D171, K172, E174, L177, R178, F191, L6, L9, A13, L15, A17, L20, L23, A24, A105, V110, L113, L114, L117, I121, L124, L128, E56, E65, E66, E88, R94, L101, E129, P133, R134, K140, Y143, K145, D147, R183 and E186, wherein:

the amino acid replacements are selected from among F1V, P2A, P5A, P5S, R8H, L9I, L9V, D11N, D11Q, M14V, R16H, R19H, L23I, L23V, F25I, F25V, D26N, D26Q, E30H, E30N, E32Q, E32H, E32N, E33Q, E33H, E33N, P37S, K38N, K38Q, E39H, K41Q, L52I, L52V, F54V, L73I, L73V, E74N, R77Q, L80V, L81V, L82V, W86H, L87V, P89A, L93I, F97V, Y103H, Y103I, D107N, D107Q, Y111H, Y111I, D112N, D112Q, L113I, L113V, L114I, K115Q, D116N, D116Q, E118N, E119Q, E119H, L124V, M125I, M125V, R127H, R127Q, L128V, F139I, D153N, D154N, D154Q, L156I, L157I, L157V, K158N, L162I, L163V, F166I, F166V, R167H, R167Q, K168N, K168Q, D169N, D169Q, M170I, M170V, D171N, D171Q, K172N, K172Q, E174Q, E174H, E174N, L177I, L177V, R178H, R178Q, F191I, F191V, L6E, L6D, L6K, L6R, L6N, L6Q, L6S, L6T, L9E, L9D, L9K, L9R, L9N, L9Q, L9S, L9T, A13E, A13D, A13K, A13R, A13N, A13Q, A13S, A13T, L15E, L15D, L15K, L15R, L15Q, L15N, L15S, L15T, A17E, A17D, A17K, A17R, A17N, A17Q, A17S, A17T, L20E, L20D, L20K, L20R, L20N, L20Q, L20S, L20T, L23E, L23D, L23K, L23R, L23N, L23Q, L23S, L23T, A24E, A24D, A24K, A24R, A24N, A24Q, A24S, A24T, A105E, A105D, A105K, A105R, A105N, A105Q, A105S, A105T, V110E, V110D, V110K, V110R, V110N, V110Q, V110S, V110T, L113E, L113D, L113K, L113R, L113N, L113Q, L113S, L113T, L114E, L114D, L114K, L114R, L114N, L114Q, L114S, L114T, L117E, L117D, L117K, L117R, L117Q, L117S, L117T, I121E, I121D, I121K, I121R, I121N, I121Q, I121S, I121T, L124E, L124D, L124K, L124R, L124N, L124Q, L124S, L124T, L128E, L128D, L128K, L128R, L128Q, L128N, L128S, L128T, E56Q, E56N, E65Q, E66Q, E66H, E88Q, R94H, L101V, L101I, E129N, P133A, R134H, R134Q, K140Q, K140N, Y143H, Y143I, K145N, D147Q, D147N, R183Q, E186Q, and E186H of a mature human growth hormone polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1;

the modified growth hormone polypeptide contains only 2 to 6 amino acid replacements;

the modified growth hormone polypeptide retains an activity of the unmodified polypeptide; and

the modified growth hormone polypeptide is more resistant to proteolysis to proteases in serum or the gastrointestinal tract than the unmodified polypeptide.

18. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 17 that includes a signal sequence.

19. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 17 that is a mature polypeptide lacking the signal sequence.

20. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 17 , wherein the amino acid replacements are in an unmodified growth hormone that is a pituitary growth hormone comprising a sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:713, allelic or species variants, alternative splice variants, or an active portion thereof that includes the amino acid replacements.

21. The modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 17 , wherein the amino acid replacement is made in an unmodified growth hormone that is a placental growth hormone.

22. The modified growth hormone of claim 21 , wherein the unmodified placental growth hormone comprises a sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:712, or a mature form thereof, allelic or species variants, alternative splice variants, or an active portion thereof that includes the amino acid replacements.

23. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the modified growth hormone polypeptide of claim 17 .

24. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 23 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is formulated for oral administration.

25. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 24 that is formulated as a tablet or capsule.

26. A method, comprising orally administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 24 to a subject, wherein the subject has a disease or condition that is treated by the administration of a growth hormone.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the disease or condition is selected from among a growth deficiency disorder, AIDS wasting, aging, impaired immune function of HIV-infected subjects, a catabolic illness, surgical recovery, a congestive cardiomyopathy, liver transplantation, liver regeneration after hepatectomy, chronic renal failure, renal osteodystrophy, osteoporosis, achondroplasia/hypochondroplasia, skeletal dysplasia, a chronic inflammatory or nutritional disorder such as Crohn's disease, short bowel syndrome, juvenile chronic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, male infertility, X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets, Down's syndrome, Spina bifida, Noonan Syndrome, obesity, impaired muscle strength and fibromyalgia.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the growth deficiency disorder is selected from among Turner's syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation, idiopathic short stature, Prader Willi syndrome, and thalassaemia.

29. A method, comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 23 to a subject, wherein the subject has a disease or condition that is treated by the administration of a growth hormone.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the disease or condition is selected from among a growth deficiency disorder, AIDS wasting, aging, impaired immune function of HIV-infected subjects, a catabolic illness, surgical recovery, a congestive cardiomyopathy, liver transplantation, liver regeneration after hepatectomy, chronic renal failure, renal osteodystrophy, osteoporosis, achondroplasia/hypochondroplasia, skeletal dysplasia, a chronic inflammatory or nutritional disorder such as Crohn's disease, short bowel syndrome, juvenile chronic arthritis, cystic fibrosis, male infertility, X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets, Down's syndrome, Spina bifida, Noonan Syndrome, obesity, impaired muscle strength and fibromyalgia.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the growth deficiency disorder is selected from among Turner's syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation, idiopathic short stature, Prader Willi syndrome, and thalassaemia.

32. The method of claim 29 , wherein the composition is formulated as a tablet or capsule.