US Patent 7879979 Arginine analogs, and methods for their synthesis and use

The present invention relates to novel arginine analogs, and methods for their synthesis and use. Such analogs are designed to provide a protected or free thiol (—SH) group, thereby providing a convenient linkage chemistry for coupling to a suitable group on a target such as a protein, polypeptide, detectable label or solid phase, and at a site distal to the guanidino group. Arginine analog conjugates are useful for generating antibodies that can bind specifically with dimethylarginine, which can be detected using such antibodies in immunoassays.