G-CSF polypeptides and conjugates

Abstract

The invention relates to polypeptide conjugates comprising a polypeptide exhibiting G-CSF activity and having an amino acid sequence that differs from the amino acid sequence of human G-CSF in at least one specified introduced and/or removed amino acid residue comprising an attachment group for a non-polypeptide moiety, and having at least one non-polypeptide moiety attached to an attachment group of the polypeptide. The attachment group may e.g., be a lysine, cysteine, aspartic acid or glutamic acid residue or a glycosylation site, and the non-polypeptide moiety may e.g., be a polymer such as polyethylene glycol or an oligosaccharide. The conjugate has one or more improved properties such as increased biological half-life and reduced side effects.

1 . A polypeptide conjugate comprising: 
 (i) a polypeptide exhibiting G-CSF activity, the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that differs from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1 in at least one substitution selected from the group consisting of T1K, P2K, L3K, G4K, P5K, A6K, S7K, S8K, L9K, P10K, Q11K, S12K, F13K, L14K, L15K, E19K, Q20K, V21K, Q25K, G26K, D27K, A29K, A30K, E33K, A37K, T38K, Y39K, L41K, H43K, P44K, E45K, E46K, V48K, L49K, L50K, H52K, S53K, L54K, I56K, P57K, P60K, L61K, S62K, S63K, P65K, S66K, Q67K, A68K, L69K, Q70K, L71K, A72K, G73K, S76K, Q77K, L78K, S80K, F83K, Q86K, G87K, Q90K, E93K, G94K, S96K, P97K, E98K, L99K, G100K, P101K, T102K, D104K, T105K, Q107K, L108K, D109K, A111K, D112K, F113K, T115K, T116K, W118K, Q119K, Q120K, M121K, E122K, E123K, L124K, M126K, A127K, P128K, A129K, L130K, Q131K, P132K, T133K, Q134K, G135K, A136K, M137K, P138K, A139K, A141K, S142K, A143K, F144K, Q145K, S155K, H156K, Q158K, S159K, L161K, E162K, V163K, S164K, Y165K, V167K, L168K, H170K, L171K, A172K, Q173K and P174K, and    (ii) at least one non-polypeptide moiety attached to a lysine residue of the polypeptide.    
     
     
         2 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of amino acid residues K16, K23, K34 and K40 of SEQ ID NO:1 has been deleted or substituted with another amino acid residue.  
     
     
         3 . The conjugate of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of K16, K23, K34 and K40 has been substituted with an R or Q residue.  
     
     
         4 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide comprises at least one substitution selected from the group consisting of P5K, A6K, S7K, S8K, L9K, P44K, E45K, E46K, V48K, L49K, L50K, H52K, S53K, L54K, I56K, P57K, P60K, L61K, S62K, S63K, P65K, S66K, Q67K, A68K, L69K, Q70K, L71K, A72K, G73K, S76K, Q77K, L78K, S80K, F83K, Q86K, G87K, Q90K, E93K, G94K, S96K, P97K, E98K, L99K, P101K, D104K, T105K, Q107K, L108K, D109K, A111K, D112K, F113K, T115K, T116K, W118K, Q119K, Q120K, M121K, E122K, E123K, L124K, M126K, A127K, P128K, A129K, L130K, Q131K, P132K, T133K, Q134K, G135K, A136K, M137K, P138K, A139K, A141K, S142K, A143K, F144K, Q145K, S155K, H156K, Q158K, S159K, L161K, E162K, V163K, S164K, Y165K, V167K, L168K, H170K, L171K, A172K, Q173K and P174K.  
     
     
         5 . The conjugate of  claim 4 , wherein the polypeptide comprises at least one substitution selected from the group consisting of Q70K, Q90K, T105K, Q120K and T133K.  
     
     
         6 .- 33 . (canceled)