Compositions and methods for the transport of biologically active agents across cellular barriers

• Main Authors: HAWLEY STEPHEN B, SHERIDAN PHILIP L, GLYNN JACQUELINE M, CHAPIN STEVEN, HOUSTON L. L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.05.2006
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CULTURE MEDIA; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; ENZYMOLOGY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEPTIDES; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ORMEDICINAL PREPARATIONS; SPIRITS; VINEGAR; WINE

Disclosed herein are complexes and compounds that pass through cellular barriers to deliver compounds into, through and out of cells, and methods of producing and using such complexes and compounds. The complexes and compounds of the invention comprise a biologically active portion and a targeting element directed to a ligand that confers transcellular, transcytotic or paracellular transporting properties to an agent specifically bound to the ligand. Also disclosed are complexes and compounds that comprise two or more targeting elements directed to a ligand that confers transcellular, transcytotic or paracellular transporting properties to an agent specifically bound to the ligand. Preferred ligands include but are not limited to the stalk of pIgR, a pIgR domain, an amino acid sequence that is conserved among pIgR's from different animals, and one of several regions of pIgR defined herein.