Motilin-like polypeptides with gastrointestinal motor stimulating activity

This invention pertains to polypeptides having gastrointestinal motor stimulating activity represented by the formula: wherein A is the L-stereoisomer of a lipophilic aliphatic or alicyclic amino acid; B is L-proline or L-alanine; D is the L-stereoisomer of a lipophilic aliphatic or alicyclic amino acid; E is the L-stereoisomer of an aromatic, lipophilic aliphatic, or alicyclic amino acid; F is the L-stereoisomer of an aromatic or heteroaromatic amino acid; G is glycine or D-alanine; H is L-glutamic acid or L-glutamine; I is L-glutamine, L-glutamic acid, or L-alanine; J is a direct bond or is selected from the group consisting of Z, Z-Leu, Z-Leu-Gln, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Asn, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-GIu-Arg-Asn-Lys, and Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Asn-Lys-Gly, wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of arginine, D-arginine, D-homoarginine, D-lysine, D-ornithine, D-2,4-diaminobutyric acid, D-glutamine, D-asparagine, and D-alanine; R1 is lower-alkyl or allyl; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, propargyl, and allyl; R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, and allyl; R4 is selected from the group consisting of lower-alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted and unsubstituted aryl, and heteroaryl, wherein the aryl substituents are selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, and lower-alkoxy; R5 is selected from the group consisting of -CH2CONH2, aminoalkyl groups, and guanidinoalkyl groups; R6 is -COOH or -CONH2; and m is 0 or 1, with the proviso that (a) when m is 0, R2 and R3 are hydrogen, and J is a direct bond, the -NH-*CH(CH2R5)R6 group has the D-configuration; (b) R5 is -CH2CONH2 only when J is Z-Leu or Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Asn-Lys-Gly; (c) when m=0, R2 and R3 are hydrogen, and J is Z, Z-Leu, Z-Leu-Gln, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Asn, Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Asn-Lys, and Z-Leu-Gln-Glu-Lys-Glu-Arg-Asn-Lys-Gly, Z has the D configuration; and (d) the polypeptide is other than motilin.