Patent ID: 7335645

Claim:
A method of treatment of diseases of the skin or mucosa, autoimmune diseases or inflammation in a subject in need thereof, comprising topically administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DP IV) inhibitor compound or of a pharmaceutical or a cosmetic composition comprising at least one DP IV inhibitor compound to the subject, wherein the at least one DP IV inhibitor compound inhibits DP IV activity associated with the treated disease of the skin or mucosa, autoimmune disease or inflammation; and said DP IV inhibitor compound has the general formula: wherein A is an amino acid having at least one functional group in the side chain, B is a chemical compound covalently bound to at least one functional group of the side chain of A, chosen from the group consisting of: (a) oligopeptides having a chain length of up to 20 amino acids, except for homopolymers of glycine consisting of up to 6 glycine monomers, and (b) polyethylene glycols having molar masses of up to 20,000 g/mol; and C is a group amide-bonded to A chosen from the group consisting of thiazolidine, pyrrolidine, cyanopyrrolidine, hydroxyproline, dehydroproline and piperidine.