Patent ID: 7084248

Claim:
A peptide composition comprising (a) a peptide ranging in length from about 19 to about 37 amino acids, (b) said peptide having two faces when in an alpha helical conformation, consisting of a lipophilic face and a weak-base face, (c) the first face being a lipophilic face, wherein (i) 80% to 100% of the amino acids of the lipophilic face are selected from the group consisting of leucine, isoleucine, norleucine, valine and norvaline, (ii) none of the amino acids of the lipophilic face have side chains which carry an ionic charge at neutral pH, (iii) the lipophilic face size ranges from about 140 degrees to about 180 degrees, and (d) the second face being a weak-base face, wherein (i) 80% to 100% of the amino acids of the weak-base face are selected from the group consisting of histidine, lysine and arginine, (ii) at least 70% of the amino acids of the weak-base face are histidines, (iii) none of the amino acids of the weak-base face are acid amino acids, (iv) the weak-base face size ranges from about 180 degrees to about 220 degrees.