Patent ID: 8017571

Claim:
An isolated peptide or a derivative thereof, wherein the peptide is derived from the human Basic Proline-rich Lacrimal Protein (BPLP) and: i) comprises the sequence X1-X2-Arg-Phe-Ser-Arg (SEQ ID NO:6), wherein: X1 represents H atom or a Tyr amino acid or a Cys amino acid; X2 represents Gln or Glp when X1 is H, or X2 represents Gln when XI is Tyr or Cys; and the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 is the C-terminal part of said peptide, ii) consists of up to 15 amino acids, and iii) exhibits an inhibitory property against a neutral endopeptidase (NEP) or an aminopeptidase (APN); and wherein the derivative is obtained from said peptide by one to two amino acid substitutions, comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, and exhibits said inhibitory property against NEP or APN.