Therapeutic homodimer and uses thereof

A pharmaceutical composition comprising:

• (i) a homodimer consisting of covalently linked monomer peptides, each monomer consisting of the amino acid sequence CQQYNSYPLT (SEQ ID NO:1), wherein the monomer peptides are linked by a disulphide bond between the N-terminal cysteine residues of the monomers, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative of the homodimer;
• and (ii) one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, for use in the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition in a mammalian subject by transmucosal administration.

(canceled)

A method for the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition in a mammalian subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of a homodimer consisting of covalently linked monomer peptides, each monomer consisting of the amino acid sequence CQQYNSYPLT (SEQ ID NO:1), wherein the monomer peptides are linked by a disulphide bond between the N-terminal cysteine residues of the monomers, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative of the homodimer, and wherein the method comprises transmucosal administration of the homodimer to the mammalian subject.

A method for producing a pharmaceutical composition, comprising bringing an appropriate amount of a homodimer or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof into association with appropriate amounts of one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, wherein the homodimer consists of covalently linked monomer peptides, each monomer consisting of the amino acid sequence CQQYNSYPLT (SEQ ID NO:1), and wherein the monomer peptides are linked by a disulphide bond between the N-terminal cysteine residues of the monomers.