Methods and compositions for treating mammalian nerve tissue injuries

• US 20050069520A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation (The Trustees of Purdue University (d/b/a Purdue University)), University of Chicago
• Original Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation (The Trustees of Purdue University (d/b/a Purdue University)), University of Chicago
• Inventors: Borgens, Richard B., Shi, Riyi, Lee, Raphael C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,687,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/78.380
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/00 Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/74 Synthetic polymeric materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/765 Polymers containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/77 of oxiranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/02 for peripheral neuropathies
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00

Abstract

To achieve, an in vivo repair of injured mammalian nerve tissue, an effective amount of a biomembrane fusion agent is administered to the injured nerve tissue. The application of the biomembrane fusion agent may be performed by directly contacting the agent with the nerve tissue at the site of the injury. Alternatively, the biomembrane fusion agent is delivered to the site of the injury through the blood supply after administration of the biomembrane fusion agent to the patient. The administration is preferably by parenteral administration including including intravascular, intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intraperitoneal injection of an effective quantity of the biomembrane fusion agent so that an effective amount is delivered to the site of the nerve tissue injury.

Claims

1. A method for treating an injury to nerve tissue of a mammalian patient, comprising administering an effective amount of a biomembrane fusion agent comprising an amphipathic polymer to the patient so that the biomembrane fusion agent is delivered via the patient'"'"'s vascular system to the site of the injured nerve tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said amphipathic polymer comprises a block copolymer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said block copolymer is taken from the group consisting of polyalkylene glycol block copolymers, mixtures of polyalkylene glycol block copolymers, and mixtures of polyalkylene glycols and polyalkylene glycol block copolymers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said block copolymer comprises at least one compound taken from the group consisting of polymethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polybutylene glycol, polypentylene glycol, polyhexylene glycol, polyheptylene glycol, polyoctylene glycol, polynonylene glycol, and polydecylene glycol, and branched and structural isomers thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said amphipathic polymer is taken from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol block copolymers, and mixtures of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol block copolymers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said amphipathic polymer is taken from the group consisting of poloxamers and poloxamines.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said biomembrane fusion agent is in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said carrier is water.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering of said effective amount of said biomembrane fusion agent includes injecting said biomembrane fusion agent into a vascular system of the patient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering of said effective amount of biomembrane fusion agent includes injecting said biomembrane fusion agent subcutaneously into the patient.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering of said effective amount of biomembrane fusion agent includes injecting said biomembrane fusion agent intraperitoneally into the patient.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering of said effective amount of biomembrane fusion agent includes injecting said biomembrane fusion agent into or near the nerve sheath at site of injury.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the injured nerve tissue is peripheral nerve tissue.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the injured nerve tissue is spinal cord tissue.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the injured nerve tissue is peripheral nerve tissue.

16. The method of claim of claim 1, wherein the injury comprises an injury selected from the group consisting of a mechanical injury, a biochemical injury and an ischemic injury.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the injury comprises an ischemic injury.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the ischemic injury is selected from the group consisting of a stroke and a head injury.

19. A method for treating an injury to nerve tissue of a mammalian patient, comprising administering an effective amount of a biomembrane fusion agent comprising a poloxamer or a poloxamine to the patient so that the biomembrane fusion agent is delivered via the patient'"'"'s vascular system to the site of the injured nerve tissue, wherein delivery of said biomembrane fusion agent is effected using a technique selected from the group consisting of intravascular, intramuscular, subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injection.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the injury comprises an injury selected from the group consisting of a mechanical injury, a biochemical injury and an ischeric injury.

21. A method for treating an injury of to nerve tissue of a mammalian patient, comprising administering an effective amount of a biomembrane fusion agent comprising an amphipathic polymer topically at the site of nerve tissue injury.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the amphipathic polymer comprises a block copolymer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said block copolymer is taken from the group consisting of polyalkylene glycol block copolymers, mixtures of polyalkylene glycol block copolymers, and mixtures of polyalkylene glycols and polyalkylene glycol block copolymers.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said block copolymer comprises at least one compound taken from the group consisting of polymethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polybutylene glycol, polypentylene glycol, polyhexylene glycol, polyheptylene glycol, polyoctylene glycol, polynonylene glycol, and polydecylene glycol, and branched and structural isomers thereof.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said amphipathic polymer is taken from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol block copolymers, and mixtures of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol block copolymers.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said amphipathic polymer is taken from the group consisting of poloxamers and poloxamines.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein said biomembrane fusion agent is in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein said carrier is water.