Treatment of autoimmune conditions with copolymer 1 and related copolymers

Abstract

The present invention is directed to polypeptides containing at least three amino acids randomly joined in a linear array; wherein at least one of the three amino acids is an aromatic amino acid, at least one of the three amino acids is a charged amino acid and at least one amino acid is an aliphatic amino acid. In a preferred embodiment the polypeptide contains three or four of the following amino acids: tyrosine, alanine, glutamic acid or lysine. According to the present invention, the present polypeptides bind to antigen presenting cells, purified human lymphocyte antigens (HLA) and/or Copolymer 1-specific T cells. Moreover, according to the present invention, these polypeptides can be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions for treating autoimmune disease. The present invention further contemplates methods of treating an autoimmune disease in a mammal by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of any one of the present polypeptides to the mammal.

1 . A terpolymer consisting essentially of tyrosine, alanine and lysine randomly polymerized into a polypeptide. 
     
     
         2 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of an autoimmune disease, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a terpolymer comprising three different amino acids randomly polymerized into a polypeptide, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the three different amino acids are selected from the group of tyrosine, glutamic acid, alanine and lysine. 
     
     
         17 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A method for treating an autoimmune disease which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide consisting essentially of amino acids tyrosine, glutamic acid, alanine and lysine, wherein said autoimmune disease is not multiple sclerosis. 
     
     
         46 .- 176 . (canceled)