Compositions and methods for preventing or treating diseases, conditions, or processes characterized by aberrant fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition

A method for reducing progression of a fibrosis in liver tissue, kidney tissue or vascular tissue;

• treating fibrotic remodeling of the liver tissue, kidney tissue or vascular tissue;
• or both, in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
• administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutic amount of a polypeptide of the amino acid sequence YARAAARQARAKALARQLGVAA (SEQ ID NO:
• 1) or a functional equivalent thereof selected from the group consisting of a polypeptide of the amino acid sequence FAKLAARLYRKALARQLGVAA (SEQ ID NO:
• 3) and a polypeptide of the amino acid sequence KAFAKLAARLYRKALARQLGVAA (SEQ ID NO:
• 4), and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier thereof,
• progression of the fibrosis being characterized by one or more of aberrant fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition producing remodeling in liver tissue, kidney tissue or vascular tissue, wherein the therapeutic amount of the pharmaceutical composition inhibits at least 65% of activity of MK2, MK3, CaMKI, and TrkB, with limited off-target kinase inhibition, and
• wherein the therapeutic amount of the polypeptide reduces progression of the fibrosis, treats remodeling of the liver tissue, kidney tissue or vascular tissue due to the fibrosis, or both reduces progression of the fibrosis in liver, kidney or vascular tissue and treats remodeling of the liver tissue, kidney tissue or vascular tissue due to the fibrosis.