Peptide therapeutics and methods for using same

1. A composition comprising the mitochondria penetrating peptide (MPP) Cha-Arg-Cha-Lys-NH 2 alone or in combination with one or more aromatic-cationic peptides selected from the group consisting of:

2′6′-Dmp-D-Arg-2′6′-Dmt-Lys-NH 2 ;

2′,6′-Dmt-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

2′6′-Dmp-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

2′6′-Dmt-D-Arg-PheOrn-NH 2 ;

2′6′-Dmt-D-Arg-Phe-Ahp(2-aminoheptanoicacid)-NH 2 ;

2′6′-Dmt-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

2′6′-Dmt-D-Cit-PheLys-NH 2 ;

Ala-D-Phe-D-Arg-Tyr-Lys-D-Trp-His-D-Tyr-Gly-Phe;

Arg-D-Dmt-Arg-NH 2 ;

Arg-D-Dmt-Lys-NH 2 ;

Arg-D-Dmt-NH 2 ;

Arg-D-Leu-D-Tyr-Phe-Lys-Glu-D-Lys-Arg-D-Trp-Lys-D-Phe-Tyr-D-Arg-Gly;

Arg-D-Tyr-Arg-NH 2 ;

Arg-D-Tyr-Lys-NH 2 ;

Arg-D-Tyr-NH 2 ;

Asp-Arg-D-Phe-Cys-Phe-D-Arg-D-Lys-Tyr-Arg-D-Tyr-Trp-D-His-Tyr-D-Phe-Lys-Phe;

Asp-D-Trp-Lys-Tyr-D-His-Phe-Arg-D-Gly-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-2′6′-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Arg-Dmt-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Arg-Tyr-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Cha-Lys-Cha-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Cha-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-D-Dmt-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-D-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Dmt-Lys-Met-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Dmt-Lys-Trp-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-D-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-Lys-Met-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-Lys-Trp-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-Met-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Trp-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Dmt-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-D-Tyr-D-Lys-D-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-D-Tyr-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-D-Tyr-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Trp-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Trp-Lys-Trp-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Tyr-D-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Tyr-Lys-D-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Tyr-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Tyr-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Tyr-NH 2 ;

D-Arg-Tyr-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Dmt-Arg-NH 2 ;

D-Glu-Asp-Lys-D-Arg-D-His-Phe-Phe-D-Val-Tyr-Arg-Tyr-D-Tyr-Arg-His-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-His-Glu-Lys-Tyr-D-Phe-Arg;

D-His-Lys-Tyr-D-Phe-Glu-D-Asp-D-Asp-D-His-D-Lys-Arg-Trp-NH 2 ;

Dmt-D-Arg-NH 2 ;

Dmt-D-Phe-Arg-Lys-NH 2 ;

Dmt-Lys-D-Phe-NH 2 ;

Dmt-Lys-NH 2 ;

Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Nle-Cha-Ahe-Cha-NH 2 ;

D-Nle-Dmt-Ahe-Phe-NH 2 ;

D-Phe-D-Arg-D-Phe-D-Lys-NH 2 ;

D-Tyr-Arg-NH 2 ;

D-Tyr-Trp-Lys-NH 2 ;

Glu-Arg-D-Lys-Tyr-D-Val-Phe-D-His-Trp-Arg-D-Gly-Tyr-Arg-D-Met-NH 2 ;

Gly-Ala-Lys-Phe-D-Lys-Glu-Arg-Tyr-His-D-Arg-D-Arg-Asp-Tyr-Trp-D-His-Trp-His-D-Lys-Asp;

Gly-D-Phe-Lys-His-D-Arg-Tyr-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg(NαMe)-Dmt(NMe)-Lys(NαMe)-Phe(NMe)-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-Lys(NαMe)-Phe(NMe)-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-Lys(NαMe)-Phe-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe(NMe)-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-Sar-Gly-Cys-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-LysΨ[CH2-NH]Phe-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-Ψ[CH2-NH]Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Dmt-Ψ[CH2-NH]Lys-Ψ[CH2-NH]Phe-NH 2 ;

H-D-Arg-Ψ[CH2-NH]Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

His-Tyr-D-Arg-Trp-Lys-Phe-D-Asp-Ala-Arg-Cys-D-Tyr-His-Phe-D-Lys-Tyr-His-Ser-NH 2 ;

Lys-D-Arg-Tyr-NH 2 ;

Lys-D-Gln-Tyr-Arg-D-Phe-Trp-NH 2 ;

Lys-Dmt-D-Arg-NH 2 ;

Lys-D-Phe-Arg-Dmt-NH 2 ;

Lys-D-Phe-Arg-Tyr-NH 2 ;

Lys-Phe-NH 2 ;

Lys-Trp-D-Tyr-Arg-Asn-Phe-Tyr-D-His-NH 2 ;

Met-Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-Arg-NH 2 ;

Met-Tyr-D-Lys-Phe-Arg;

Phe-Arg-D-His-Asp;

Phe-D-Arg-2′6′-Dmt-Lys-NH 2 ;

Phe-D-Arg-D-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

Phe-D-Arg-His;

Phe-D-Arg-Lys-Trp-Tyr-D-Arg-His;

Phe-D-Arg-Phe-D-Lys-NH 2 ;

Phe-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

Phe-D-Dmt-Arg-Lys-NH 2 ;

Phe-D-Tyr-Arg-Lys-NH 2 ;

Phe-Lys-Dmt-NH 2 ;

Phe-Phe-D-Tyr-Arg-Glu-Asp-D-Lys-Arg-D-Arg-His-Phe-NH 2 ;

Phe-Tyr-Lys-D-Arg-Trp-His-D-Lys-D-Lys-Glu-Arg-D-Tyr-Thr;

Thr-Gly-Tyr-Arg-D-His-Phe-Trp-D-His-Lys;

Thr-Tyr-Arg-D-Lys-Trp-Tyr-Glu-Asp-D-Lys-D-Arg-His-Phe-D-Tyr-Gly-Val-Ile-D-His-Arg-Tyr-Lys-NH 2 ;

Trp-D-Lys-Tyr-Arg-NH 2 ;

Trp-Lys-Phe-D-Asp-Arg-Tyr-D-His-Lys;

Tyr-Asp-D-Lys-Tyr-Phe-D-Lys-D-Arg-Phe-Pro-D-Tyr-His-Lys;

Tyr-D-Arg-NH 2 ;

Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-Glu-NH 2 ;

Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH 2 ;

Tyr-D-His-Phe-D-Arg-Asp-Lys-D-Arg-His-Trp-D-His-Phe;

Tyr-D-Phe-Arg-Lys-NH 2 ;

Tyr-His-D-Gly-Met; and

Val-D-Lys-His-Tyr-D-Phe-Ser-Tyr-Arg-NH 2 ,

and further comprising one or more additional active agents selected from the group consisting of cyclosporine, a cardiac drug, an anti-inflammatory, an anti-hypertensive drug, an antibody, an ophthalmic drug, an antioxidant, a metal complexer, and an antihistamine.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the MPP further comprises a modification selected from the group consisting of inclusion of one or more D-amino acids, inclusion of one or more sites of N-methylation, and inclusion of one or more reduced amide bonds (Ψ[CH2-NH]).

3. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pharmaceutically acceptable pH-lowering agent and at least one absorption enhancer comprising an absorbable or biodegradable surface active agent selected from the group consisting of an acylcarnitine, a phospholipid, a bile acid, and a sucrose ester.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the pH-lowering agent is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, and an acid salt of an amino acid.

5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the composition comprises a lamination having a first layer comprising the at least one pharmaceutically acceptable pH-lowering agent and a second layer comprising the MPP alone or in combination with one or more aromatic-cationic peptides and further comprising the at least one absorption enhancer, wherein the first and second layers are united with each other, but wherein the layers prevent interaction between the pH-lowering agent and the peptide(s).