Patent ID: 8435540

Claim:
A method of treating an autoimmune disease comprising: a) obtaining a PEGylated interferon complex comprising; i) a PEG (polyethylene glycol) moiety covalently attached to a first peptide; and ii) a fusion protein comprising interferon-α (IFN-α) or IFN-β and a second peptide; and b) administering the PEGylated interferon complex to a subject with an autoimmune disease wherein two copies of the second peptide form a dimer that binds to the first peptide to form a PEGylated complex and wherein the amino acid sequence of the second peptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2, and the amino acid sequence of the first peptide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, and wherein the autoimmune disease is selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis.