Histatin for corneal wound healing and ocular surface disease

Abstract

Histatins may be used for corneal wound healing and as a treatment for ocular surface disease in humans and other animals. For example, histatins could be included in eye drops, eye gels, ointment, glue, or embedded in (polymer) contact lenses.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of treating an ocular surface disease, wherein the method comprises administering a therapeutic amount of a composition comprising a first peptide and a second peptide to an ocular surface of a patient, wherein the composition is incorporated into a contact lens worn by the patient, and
 wherein the first peptide is selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 4; SEQ ID NO: 5; SEQ ID NO: 6; SEQ ID NO: 9; SEQ ID NO: 10; SEQ ID NO: 11; SEQ ID NO: 12; SEQ ID NO: 15; SEQ ID NO: 16; SEQ ID NO: 17; SEQ ID NO: 18; SEQ ID NO: 19; SEQ ID NO: 20; SEQ ID NO: 23; SEQ ID NO: 24; SEQ ID NO: 25; SEQ ID NO: 28; SEQ ID NO: 29; and SEQ ID NO: 33 and the second peptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-33, wherein the first peptide and the second peptide are different.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first peptide is SEQ ID NO: 5 or a fragment thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first peptide is SEQ ID NO: 4 or a fragment thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the concentration of each of the first peptide and the second peptide in the composition is between approximately 0.1 µg/ml and approximately 1000 mg/ml. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the concentration of each of the first peptide and the second peptide in the composition is between approximately 0.1 µg/ml and approximately 10 µg/ml. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising administering a therapeutic amount of a second composition comprising a first peptide and a second peptide to the ocular surface of the patient at least one time per day for a plurality of days. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising administering a therapeutic amount of a second composition comprising a first peptide and a second peptide to the ocular surface of the patient at least one time a day. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first peptide is histatin 1 or a fragment thereof, and wherein the second peptide is histatin 5 or a fragment thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first peptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4; SEQ ID NO: 5; SEQ ID NO: 9; SEQ ID NO: 29; and SEQ ID NO: 33. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the ocular surface disease is selected from the group consisting of dry eyes, corneal ulcerations and erosions, inflammatory and infectious keratitis and conjunctivitis, surgical interventions, and trauma. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first peptide and the second peptide is 8 to 44 amino acids in length. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first peptide and the second peptide is an L-peptide. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first peptide is a cyclic peptide. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first peptide is SEQ ID NO: 33. 
     
     
         35 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the first peptide is SEQ ID NO: 33. 
     
     
         36 . A method of treating an ocular surface disease, wherein the method comprises administering a therapeutic amount of a composition comprising a first peptide and a second peptide to an ocular surface of a patient, wherein the composition is in the form of an eye drop, an eye gel, an ointment, or a tissue glue, and wherein the first peptide is selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 4; SEQ ID NO: 5; SEQ ID NO: 6; SEQ ID NO: 9; SEQ ID NO: 10; SEQ ID NO: 11; SEQ ID NO: 12; SEQ ID NO: 15; SEQ ID NO: 16; SEQ ID NO: 17; SEQ ID NO: 18; SEQ ID NO: 19; SEQ ID NO: 20; SEQ ID NO: 23; SEQ ID NO: 24; SEQ ID NO: 25; SEQ ID NO: 28; SEQ ID NO: 29; and SEQ ID NO: 33 and the second peptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-33, wherein the first peptide and the second peptide are different. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising administering a therapeutic amount of a second composition comprising a first peptide and a second peptide to the ocular surface of the patient at least one time per day for a plurality of days. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising administering a therapeutic amount of a second composition comprising a first peptide and a second peptide to the ocular surface of the patient at least one time per day. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the first peptide comprises histatin 1 or a fragment thereof, and wherein the second peptide comprises histatin 5 or a fragment thereof.