Peptides and peptide analogues designed from HFE protein and their uses in the treatment of iron overload diseases

A compound comprising the formula:

• Z1—X1—X2—X3—X4—X5—X6—X7—X8—X9—X10—X11—X12—X13—X14—X15—X16—X17—Z2 (I)
• herein:
• X1 is an apolar residue;
• X2 is a hydrophobic residue;
• X3 is an acidic or an aliphatic residue;
• X4 is a basic residue;
• X5 is an apolar residue;
• X6 is an aromatic residue;
• X7 is a polar residue;
• X8 is an aliphatic residue;
• X9 is an acidic or an aliphatic residue;
• X10 is an aromatic residue;
• X11 is an aromatic residue;
• X12 is a polar residue;
• X13 is Ile;
• X14 is an apolar residue;
• X15 is an acidic residue;
• X16 is a polar residue;
• X17 is a basic or an aliphatic residue;
• Z1 is H2N—, RHN— or, RRN—;
• Z2 is —C(O)R, —C(O)OR, —C(O)NHR, —C(O)NRR where each R is independently (C1-C6) alkyl, (C1-C6) alkenyl, (C1-C6) alkynyl, substituted (C1-C6) alkyl, substituted (C1-C6) alkenyl or substituted (C1-C6) alkynyl;
• and
• “—” is a covalent linkage.