Use of interleukin-6 antagonists for the treatment of diseases characterised by high levels of aromatase

• US 20050090443A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite SPA (Alfasigma S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite SPA (Alfasigma S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Michael John, Reed
• Granted Patent: US 7,160,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/19.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/204 IL-6
• 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

The invention described herein relates to the use of human interleukin-6 antagonists, totally incapable of binding to gp 130, as specific inhibitors of the enzyme aromatase, useful for the treatment of hormone-dependent tumours, and particularly tumours of the breast.

Claims

1. A method of preventing or treating a disease mediated by an increase in aromatase activity, said method comprising administration of a compound comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

4, SEQ ID NO;

5, SEQ ID NO;

6, and SEQ ID NO;

7 (Sant

     7) for prevention or treatment of said disease.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said disease is caused by an oestrogen-dependent tumour.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said disease is caused by a breast tumour.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said compound has at least antioestrogen activity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said compound inhibits at least one enzyme catalysing oestrogen synthesis.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said enzyme catalysing oestrogen synthesis is selected from the group consisting of aromatase, oestrone sulphatase, and oestradiol dehydrogenase.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said compound is encoded by Sant 7.

8. A method of preventing or treating a disease mediated by an increase in aromatase activity, said method comprising administration of a fragment of a compound selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

4, SEQ ID NO;

5, SEQ ID NO;

6, and SEQ ID NO;

7 which conserves the activity of the amino acid sequence it derives from, for prevention or treatment of said disease.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said disease is caused by an oestrogen-dependent tumour.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said disease is caused by a breast tumour.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said compound has at least antioestrogen activity.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said compound inhibits at least one enzyme catalysing oestrogen synthesis.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said enzyme catalysing oestrogen synthesis is selected from the group consisting of aromatase, oestrone sulphatase, and oestradiol dehydrogenase.

14. A method of inhibiting oestrogen synthesis, said method comprising reducing activity of one or more enzymes catalysing oestrogen synthesis with a compound which comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

4, SEQ ID NO;

5, SEQ ID NO;

6, and SEQ ID NO;

7 (Sant

     7) such that oestrogen synthesis is inhibited.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said compound consists essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

4, SEQ ID NO;

5, SEQ ID NO;

6, and SEQ ID NO;

7 (Sant

     7).

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein oestrogen synthesis is inhibited in an oestrogen-dependent tumour.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein oestrogen synthesis is inhibited in a breast tumour.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said compound inhibits an enzyme selected from the group consisting of aromatase, oestrone sulphatase, and oestradiol dehydrogenase.