Patent ID: 7368425

Claim:
A method of inducing neo-vessel formation comprising contacting an endothelial cell with a composition comprising an SDF-1 mimetic having a structure selected from the group consisting of: R N -Lys-Pro-Val-Ser-Leu-Ser-Tyr-Arg-Ala-Pro-Phe-Arg-Phe-Phe-[linker]-Leu-Lys-Trp-Ile-Gln-Glu-Tyr-Leu-Glu-Lys-Ala-Leu-Asn-R c (SEQ ID NO:2) and conservatively modified variants, prodrugs, and codrugs thereof; wherein, the underlined residues Lys-Trp-Ile-Gln-Glu form a cyclic portion of the mimetic; R N is selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, poly(ethylene glycol) or a derivative thereof, a glycosaminoglycan, a biochemical label, and an N-terminal modifier capable of reducing the ability of the SDF-1 mimetic to act as a substrate for aminopeptidases; R c is selected from a group consisting of a hydroxyl group, poly(ethylene glycol) or a derivative thereof, a glycosaminoglycan, a biochemical label, and a C-terminal modifier capable of reducing the ability of the SDF-1 mimetic to act as a substrate for carboxypeptidases; and, the linker consists of four amino acids, -Xaa 1 -Xaa 2 -Xaa 3 -Xaa 4 -, wherein Xaa 1 , Xaa 2 , Xaa 3 , and Xaa 4 are each independently selected from a group consisting of (a) any natural amino acid, provided that the natural amino acid is not L- or D-Cys, and (b) any non-natural amino acid having the following structure: wherein, R L is selected from a group consisting of saturated and unsaturated aliphatics and heteroaliphatics consisting of 20 or fewer carbon atoms that are optionally substituted with (i) a hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, amido, or imino group; (ii) an aromatic group having from 5 to 7 members in the ring; or (iii) a group having from 0 to 10 carbon atoms and bearing a positive charge; and wherein, the linker comprises at least one amino acid having a side chain bearing a positive charge and is not tetralysine.