# US 12,760,067 B2 · Peptides for use in skin and hair pigmentation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,067 B2 - Document ID: US12760067B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/250,448 - Filed: 2021-10-28 - Published: 2024-07-11 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-28 - Assignees: Follicum AB; University of Bradford - Applicants: Follicum AB; University of Bradford - Inventors: Jan Alenfall; Maria Ekblad; Suman Singh; Desmond J. Tobin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760067B2 ## CPC - C07K 5/101: {the side chain containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms, e.g. Val, Ile, Leu} - A61K 8/60: Sugars; Derivatives thereof - A61K 8/64: Proteins; Peptides; Derivatives or degradation products thereof - A61K 8/92: Oils, fats or waxes; Derivatives thereof, e.g. hydrogenation products thereof - A61P 17/00: Drugs for dermatological disorders - A61Q 5/10: Preparations for permanently dyeing the hair - A61Q 19/04: for chemically tanning the skin (topical sun or radiation screening or tanning preparations A61Q17/04) - C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS - A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS ## Abstract The present invention relates to peptides and use of said peptides in skin and hair pigmentation. Further, the present invention relates to a composition comprising said peptides for topical delivery. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cosmetic method of darkening of skin or hair color, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a peptide or peptide derivative comprising Asn-Ala-Xaa2-Met (SEQ ID NO: 1), wherein Xaa2 is His or Ala, and wherein the peptide or peptide derivative is no more than 8 amino acid residues in length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method non-therapeutically increases melanin pigmentation of skin or hair of the subject. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises no more than 5 amino acid residues. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises no more than 6 amino acid residues. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises no more than 7 amino acid residues. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-Ala-Met (SEQ ID NO: 4). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative consists of the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-Ala-Met (SEQ ID NO: 4). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-His-Met (SEQ ID NO: 2). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative consists of the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-His-Met (SEQ ID NO: 2). ### Claim 10 A method for treatment of a disease or disorder associated with hypopigmentation comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a peptide or peptide derivative comprising Asn-Ala-Xaa2-Met (SEQ ID NO: 1), wherein Xaa2 is His or Ala, and wherein the peptide or peptide derivative is no more than 8 amino acid residues in length. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the disease or disorder associated with hypopigmentation is selected from the group consisting of vitiligo, albinism, idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, leprosy, leucism, phenylketonuria, pityriasis alba, Angelman syndrome, tinea versicolor, yaws, post-inflammatory hypopigmentation and pigmentation loss as a result of skin damage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises no more than 5 amino acid residues. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises no more than 6 amino acid residues. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises no more than 7 amino acid residues. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-Ala-Met (SEQ ID NO: 4). ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative consists of the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-Ala-Met (SEQ ID NO: 4). ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative comprises the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-His-Met (SEQ ID NO: 2). ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative consists of the amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-His-Met (SEQ ID NO: 2). ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is darkening of skin color and wherein the amino acid sequence comprises Asn-Ala-Ala-Met (SEQ ID NO: 4). ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative further comprises a modification, wherein said modification is a glycosylation, PEGylation, amidation, esterification, acylation, acetylation, and/or alkylation.