Carriers for improved drug delivery
The invention provides carriers that enhance the absorption, half-life or bioavailability of therapeutic compounds. The carriers comprise targeting groups that bind the Vitamin D Binding protein (DBP), conjugation groups for coupling the targeting groups to the therapeutic compounds, and optionally scaffolding moieties.
1. A method of treating a subject with a therapeutic peptide, comprising administering a carrier-drug conjugate comprising a targeting group comprising vitamin D that is not hydroxylated at the Carbon 1 position, wherein said targeting group is stably linked to said therapeutic peptide.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said therapeutic peptide is a protein having ghrelin activity comprising an amino acid sequence with at least a 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:5.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said carrier-drug conjugate further comprises a scaffold.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said carrier-drug conjugate is in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said carrier-drug conjugate is delivered to said subject by a transdermal, oral, parenteral, subcutaneous, intracutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarticular, intrasynovial, intrasternal, intrathecal, intralesional, intracranial injection, infusion, inhalation, ocular, topical, rectal, nasal, buccal, sublingual, vaginal, or implanted reservoir mode.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said carrier-drug conjugate is delivered to said subject by an intravenous mode.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein said scaffold is poly(ethylene glycol).
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject is a vertebrate.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said vertebrate is a mammal.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said mammal is selected from the group consisting of a primate, mouse, hamster, guinea pig, and rat.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said mammal is a human.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein said subject is a vertebrate.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said vertebrate is a mammal.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said mammal is selected from the group consisting of a primate, mouse, hamster, guinea pig, and rat.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said mammal is a human.