The present invention relates to a polypeptide having interleukin-10 function, comprising two interleukin-10 monomer subunits covalently linked by a linker. The present invention further relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide of the invention, a vector comprising said nucleic acid molecule, a non-human host transformed with the nucleic acid molecule or the vector of the invention as well as a method for the production of a recombinant polypeptide of the invention. The present invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition as well as to the polypeptide, the nucleic acid molecule, the vector or the host or host cell of the invention for use in treating and/or preventing inflammatory diseases.