Patent ID: 7893023

Claim:
A method for treating a patient having a medical condition associated with plasmin overproduction, the method comprising administering to the patient a compound comprising: (1) a therapeutic agent capable of entering a target cell; (2) an oligopeptide having the formula (AA x ) m -(AA y ) n (SEQ ID NO: 1) wherein: (AA x ) m is a plasmin substrate and each AA x independently represents an amino acid selected from the group consisting of Leu, Lys, Val, Phe, Ala, Glu, Be, Gly, Pro and Arg; each AA y independently represents an amino acid selected from the group consisting of Ile, Leu, Phe and Val; m is an integer from 2-4; and n is an integer from 1-2; (3) a stabilizing group; and (4) optionally, a linker group not cleavable by plasmin; wherein the oligopeptide is directly linked to the stabilizing group at a first attachment site of the oligopeptide and the oligopeptide is directly linked to the therapeutic agent or indirectly linked through the linker group to the therapeutic agent at a second attachment site of the oligopeptide; wherein the stabilizing group hinders cleavage of the oligopeptide by enzymes present in whole blood; and wherein the compound is cleaved by plasmin under physiological conditions.