Modified cytokine

US7112660B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• European Molecular Biology Laboratory · DE
• BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC · DE

Inventors

• Helena Domingues · Heidelberg, DE
• Hartmut Oschkinat · Berlin, DE
• Luis Serrano · Heidelberg, DE
• Joerg Peters · Weinsdorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 23, 2000
• Grant date: Sep 26, 2006
• Expiry date: May 23, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61K38/00
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to methods for the stabilisation of cytokines and to cytokines generated by such methods. The methods of the invention involve mutating the amino acid sequence of a cytokine so as to remove solvent-exposed hydrophobic residues, and/or mutating the amino acid sequence of the cytokine so as to stabilise one or more secondary structure elements in the molecule. These steps have the effect of destabilsing intermediates that are formed during the folding process, relative to the stability of the cytokine in its naturally folded state, so increasing the yield of the cytokine as produced in vitro.