Controlled-release peptide compositions and uses thereof

1. A controlled-release formulation comprising:

an encapsulating material having an external surface,

a therapeutic or prophylactic compound encapsulated in said encapsulating material, and

a C5a analog attached to the external surface of the encapsulating material, said C5a analog being a C5a receptor agonist having response-selective C5a receptor binding activity, said binding activity comprising activation of antigen presenting cells,

wherein the C5a analog is selected from the group consisting of:

(SEQ ID NO: 4)

(a)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Pro-MeL-(D-Ala)-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 3)

(b)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Pro-Met-Pro-Leu-(D-Ala)-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 7)

(c)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Ala-Pro-Leu-(D-Ala)-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 8)

(d)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Pro-Leu-(D-Ala)-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 9)

(e)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Pro-Leu-Gly-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 10)

(f)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Ala-Pro-Leu-Gly-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 11)

(g)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Cys-Pro-Leu-Gly-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 12)

(h)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Pro-Leu-(D-Pro)-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 13)

(i)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Gln-Leu-(D-Ala)-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 14)

(j)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Gln-Leu-Gly-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 15)

(k)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Gln-Pro-Gly-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 16)

(l)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Pro-Leu-Aib-Arg;

(SEQ ID NO: 17)

(m)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Gly-Met-Pro-Leu-Gly-Arg;

and

(SEQ ID NO: 18)

(n)

Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Gly-Leu-Leu-Leu-Gly-Arg.

2. The controlled-release formulation of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulating material is a form selected from the group consisting of a nanoparticle, a nanogel, a microparticle, a microgel, a microcapsule, a nanocapsule, a polyelectrolyte capsule, a biodegradable lattice, a polysaccharide capsule, a block co-polymer micelle, a polyelectrolyte complex, an injectable implant, a diffusion-controlled hydrogel and a micro-emulsion.

3. The controlled-release formulation of claim 2 , wherein said encapsulating material is nanoparticles or microparticles, said C5a analog being disposed on the external surface of each particle.

4. The controlled-release formulation of claim 3 , wherein said C5a analog is covalently conjugated to said particle surface.

5. The controlled-release formulation of claim 3 , wherein said C5a analog is non-covalently associated with said particle surface.

6. The controlled-release formulation of claim 3 , wherein said particle is polymer-based nanoparticles or microparticles.

7. The controlled-release formulation of claim 6 , wherein said polymer is poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), ethyl cellulose, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene glycol, poly- 3 -hydroxy butyrate, alginate, collagen, gelatin, a chitin, a chitosan, styrene copolymer, maleic anhydride and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymer, hyaluronic acid, polyester, polylactide, polyorthoester, polycarbonate, polycaprolactone, or polyethylene oxide.

8. The controlled-release formulation of claim 1 , wherein said therapeutic or prophylactic compound is an immunogen.

9. The controlled-release formulation of claim 8 , wherein said immunogen is a peptide immunogen characteristic of a biological entity selected from the group consisting of a diseased cell, an infectious bacterium, an infectious parasite, an infectious fungus, an infectious protozoan, an infectious prion, an infectious virus and a biofilm.

10. The controlled-release formulation of claim 8 , wherein said immunogen is selected from the group consisting of peptides and proteins, glycopeptides and glycoproteins, phosphopeptides and phosphoproteins, lipopeptides and lipoproteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, small molecules and lipids.

11. The controlled-release formulation of claim 1 , wherein the C5a analog is EP67 bearing the sequence Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Asp-Met-Pro-MeL-(D-Ala)-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 4) or EP54 bearing the sequence Tyr-Ser-Phe-Lys-Pro-Met-Pro-Leu-(D-Ala)-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 3).

12. A method of selectively activating an immune cell at a site of infection or disease comprising administering an effective amount of a controlled-release formulation according to claim 1 to a patient in need thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the infection is caused by a bacterium, a parasite, a virus, a fungus, a prion, or a microbial biofilm.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the disease is cancer.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said formulation is prophylactically administered to said patient.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the immune cell is an antigen presenting cell.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein activation of said antigen presenting cells induces an innate and/or acquired immune response in said patient.