Pharmaceutical composition comprising gold-containing agent for preventing or treating liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis

• US 10,639,320 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea United Pharm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Korea United Pharm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kang, Keon Wook, Kim, Nayoun, Yoon, Kyung Rok
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, James D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Springer, Stephanie K
• Application Number:
  US15/504,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20170266219A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/28 Compounds containing heavy metals
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/7135 Compounds containing heavy metals
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/242 Gold; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/16 for liver or gallbladder disorders, e.g. hepatoprotective agents, cholagogues, litholytics

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis, and more specifically, to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis comprising a gold-containing agent. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention, by comprising the gold-containing agent as an active ingredient, not only promotes M2-type transformation of macrophages but also inhibits the activation of stellate cells due to the increase of TREM-2 expression, and is thus expected to be effectively used as a pharmaceutical composition, a food composition, etc., for preventing, treating, or ameliorating liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis. Additionally, gold-containing agents, such as auranofin, sodium aurothiomalate, and aurothioglucose, have long been used for the treatment of a different disease (rheumatoid arthritis), and thus they have an advantage in that they are less likely to cause adverse effects.

Claims

1. A method for treating liver fibrosis comprising administering a gold-containing agent selected from the group consisting of auranofin, sodium aurothiomalate, aurothioglucose, sodium aurothiosulfate, and disodium aurothiomalate to a subject which requires treatment of liver fibrosis, orally in a pharmaceutically effective amount for the treatment thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gold containing agent is auranofin.