Patent ID: 7285525
Filing Date: 2007-10-23
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for suppressing a class II MHC-restricted immune response in a human, comprising administering to said human an effective amount of an agent which inhibits cathepsin S, said amount of said agent inhibiting proteolysis of invariant chain by cathepsin S and thereby inhibiting formation of class II/antigenic peptide complexes from class II MHC/invariant chain complexes in said human, wherein the agent is an inhibitor of cathepsin S protease activity and wherein the human is afflicted with an autoimmune disease selected from juvenile-onset diabetes (insulin dependent), multiple sclerosis, pemphigus vulgaris, Grave's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, wherein said agent is a peptide-based inhibitor of cathepsin S.