Patent ID: 8435940

Claim:
A composition comprising a modified neuropeptide with increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier the modified neuropeptide being derived from an unmodified peptide selected from galanin, somatostatin, delta-sleep inducing peptide, and neuropeptide Y, the modified neuropeptide comprising: a first modification relative to the unmodified peptide that increases the lipophilic character of the modified neuropeptide when compared to the unmodified peptide; with the first modification being selected from at least one of: (a) a hydrophobic moiety conjugated to one or more amino acid residues of the modified neuropeptide; and (b) substitution of one or more aromatic amino acid residues with a halogenated aromatic amino acid residue; and a second modification relative to the unmodified peptide that increases the basicity of the modified neuropeptide when compared to the unmodified peptide, with the second modification being selected from at least one of: (a) an oligomer of positively charged amino acid residues introduced into the amino acid sequence of the unmodified peptide, wherein the oligomer is selected from the group consisting of homooligomers and heterooligomers comprising Lysine, Arginine, homo-Lysine, homo-Arginine, L-Ornithine, D-Ornithine, 2,3-Diaminopropioic acid, and 2,4-Diaminobutyric acid, and (b) a polyamine-based moiety conjugated to the modified neuropeptide, wherein the polyamine-based moiety is selected from the group consisting of spermine, spermidine, polyamidoamine, dendrimers, and polyamine toxins.