Patent ID: 7012127

Claim:
A purified peptide having LPS-binding and -neutralizing activity wherein the peptide is derived from SEQ ID NO: 1 by modification of one amino acid residue in SEQ ID NO:1 to obtain a modified peptide, and optionally, by extension of up to four residues at each side of the modified peptide; and wherein said modification is an amino acid substitution selected from the group consisting of: (i) replacement of Arg at position 1 by one of the D- or L-amino acid residues Ala, Thr, Gln, Asn or Ser; (ii) replacement of Arg at position 5 by one of the D- or L-amino acid residues Ala, Thr, Gln, Asn or Ser; (iii) replacement of Arg at position 9 by one of the D- or L-amino acid residues Ala, Thr, Gln, Asn or Ser; (iv) replacement of Lys at position 10 by one of the D- or L-amino acid residues Ala, Val, Ile, Leu, Phe, Met, Trp or Tyr; (v) replacement of Ser at position 11 by one of the D- or L-amino acid residues Ala or Val; and (vi) replacement of Phe at position 12 by one of the D- or L-amino acid residues Ala, Thr, Gln, Asn or Ser.