Methods and compositions for treating ocular glaucoma

• US 20060021623A1
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary (Foundation of The Massachusetts Eye and EAR Infirmary Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary (Foundation of The Massachusetts Eye and EAR Infirmary Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Joan W., Gragoudas, Evangelos S., Husain, Deeba, Matsubara, Akihisa
• Application Number:
  US11/191,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20060021623A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00868 Ciliary muscles or trabecular meshwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0079 using non-laser electromagnetic radiation, e.g. non-coherent light or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0057 Photodynamic therapy with a photosensitizer, i.e. agent able to produce reactive oxygen species upon exposure to light or radiation, e.g. UV or visible light; photocleavage of nucleic acids with an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0061 5-aminolevulinic acid-based PDT: 5-ALA-PDT involving porphyrins or precursors of protoporphyrins generated in vivo from 5-ALA
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0071 PDT with porphyrins having exactly 20 ring atoms, i.e. based on the non-expanded tetrapyrrolic ring system, e.g. bacteriochlorin, chlorin-e6, or phthalocyanines
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0076 PDT with expanded (metallo)porphyrins, i.e. having more than 20 ring atoms, e.g. texaphyrins, sapphyrins, hexaphyrins, pentaphyrins, porphocyanines
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0662 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/00 Drugs for disorders of the senses

Abstract

The invention provides a photodynamic therapy-based method for treating ocular glaucoma. A photosensitizer, for example, a benzoporphyrin derivative photosensitizer, is administered to a mammal either having or at risk of developing ocular glaucoma. The photosensitizer, when present in the ciliary body, is activated by light, for example, light from a laser. The treatment results in a reduction of intraocular pressure within the treated eye, which can persist for a prolonged period of time.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the intraocular pressure in a mammalian eye having a ciliary body, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to a mammal, an amount of photosensitizer sufficient to accumulate in the ciliary body; and

(b) irradiating a region within the ciliary body with light so as to activate the photosensitizer, wherein the activated photosensitizer causes a decrease in the intraocular pressure in the eye relative to the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation for a prolonged period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the photosensitizer is a benzoporphyrin derivative.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the photosensitizer is benzoporphyrin derivative mono-acid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of photosensitizer is about 1 mg/kg.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the light comprises a wavelength of about 689 nm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiating step comprises a fluence of about 100 Joules/cm².

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiating step comprises an irradiance of about 1800 mW/cm².

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiating step comprises irradiating 180 degrees of the ciliary body.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure in the eye by at least 20% of the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure for at least 4 weeks.

11. A method of treating glaucoma in a mammalian eye having a ciliary body, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to a mammal, an amount of photosensitizer sufficient to accumulate in the ciliary body; and

(b) irradiating a region within the ciliary body with light to activate the photosensitizer, so as to reduce the intraocular pressure in the eye relative to the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation for a prolonged period of time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the photosensitizer is a benzoporphyrin derivative.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the photosensitizer is benzoporphyrin derivative mono-acid.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the amount of photosensitizer is about 1 mg/kg.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the light comprises a wavelength of about 689 nm.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the irradiating step comprises a fluence of about 100 Joules/cm².

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the irradiating step comprises an irradiance of about 1800 mW/cm².

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the irradiating step comprises irradiating 180 degrees of the ciliary body.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure in the eye by at least 20% of the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure for at least 4 weeks.

21. A method of treating glaucoma in a mammalian eye having a ciliary body, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to a mammal, an amount of a benzoporphyrin derivative photosensitizer sufficient to accumulate in the ciliary body; and

(b) irradiating a region within the ciliary body with light to activate the photosensitizer,

wherein the activated photosensitizer causes a reduction in the intraocular pressure in the eye relative to the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the photosensitizer is benzoporphyrin derivative mono-acid.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the amount of photosensitizer is about 1 mg/kg.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the light comprises a wavelength of about 689 nm.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the irradiating step comprises a fluence of about 100 Joules/cm².

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the irradiating step comprises an irradiance of about 1800 mW/cm².

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the irradiating step comprises irradiating 180 degrees of the ciliary body.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure in the eye by at least 20% of the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure for a prolonged period of time.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure for at least 4 weeks.

31. A method of reducing intraocular pressure for a prolonged period of time in an eye having a ciliary body, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to a mammal an amount of a benzoporphyrin derivative photosensitizer sufficient to accumulate in the ciliary body; and

(b) irradiating a region of the ciliary body with light, wherein the light activates the photosensitizer and wherein the activated photosensitizer causes a reduction in the intraocular pressure in the eye relative to the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation for a prolonged period of time.

32. A method of preserving retinal ganglion cell viability in a mammalian eye having a ciliary body and at risk of developing or having glaucoma, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering to a mammal, an amount of photosensitizer sufficient to accumulate in the ciliary body; and

(b) irradiating a region within the ciliary body with light so as to activate the photosensitizer, such that retinal ganglion cell viability is preserved.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the photosensitizer is a benzoporphyrin derivative.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the photosensitizer is benzoporphyrin derivative mono-acid.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the amount of photosensitizer is about 1 mg/kg.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the light comprises a wavelength of about 689 nm.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the irradiating step comprises a fluence of about 100 Joules/cm².

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the irradiating step comprises an irradiance of about 1800 mW/cm².

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the irradiating step comprises irradiating 180 degrees of the ciliary body.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure in the eye by at least 20% of the intraocular pressure in the eye prior to irradiation.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure for at least 4 weeks.

42. The method of claim 32, wherein the irradiation reduces the intraocular pressure for a prolonged period of time.