Methods of treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

• US 20070053877A1
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intermune Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Intermune Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Crager, Michael, Harkonen, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/487,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/85.600
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/217 IFN-gamma

Abstract

The present application provides methods of treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); methods of increasing survival time in an individual with IPF, and methods of reducing risk of death in an individual with IPF. The methods generally involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of IFN-γ to an individual with IPF.

Claims

1. A method of treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in an individual, the method comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of IFN-γ

wherein the individual has a forced vital capacity (FVC) that is at least about 55% of the normal predicted value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises administering a corticosteroid to the individual.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of survival of the individual is at least about 10% greater than an expected probability of survival without administration of IFN-γ

.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of survival of the individual is at least about 15% greater than an expected probability of survival without administration of IFN-γ

.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the risk of death of the individual is at least two-fold less than an expected risk of death without administration of IFN-γ

.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the risk of death of the individual is at least four-fold less than an expected risk of death without administration of IFN-γ

.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 80 μ

g/m² to about 90 μ

g/m².

8. The method of claim 1, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 200 μ

g.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein IFN-γ

is administered three times weekly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein IFN-γ

is administered by subcutaneous administration.

35. The method of any of claims 1-34, wherein the individual is a human.

11. A method for increasing probability of survival of an individual having idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the method comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of IFN-γ

wherein the individual has a forced vital capacity (FVC) that is at least about 55% of the normal predicted value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises administering a corticosteroid to the individual.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the probability of survival of the individual is at least about 10% greater than an expected probability of survival without administration of IFN-γ

.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the probability of survival of the individual is at least about 15% greater than an expected probability of survival without administration of IFN-γ

.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 80 μ

g/m² to about 90 μ

g/m².

16. The method of claim 11, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 200 μ

g.

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein IFN-γ

is administered three times weekly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein IFN-γ

is administered by subcutaneous administration.

19. A method of reducing the risk of death of an individual having idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in an individual, the method comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of IFN-γ

wherein the individual has a forced vital capacity (FVC) that is at least about 55% of the normal predicted value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises administering a corticosteroid to the individual.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the risk of death of the individual is at least two-fold less than an expected risk of death without administration of IFN-γ

.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the risk of death of the individual is at least four-fold less than an expected risk of death without administration of IFN-γ

.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 80 μ

g/m² to about 90 μ

g/m².

24. The method of claim 19, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 200 μ

g.

25. The method of claim 23 or 24, wherein IFN-γ

is administered three times weekly.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein IFN-γ

is administered by subcutaneous administration.

27. A method of treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in an individual, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) ascertaining that the individual has a forced vital capacity (FVC) of at least about 55% of the normal predicted value; and

(b) administering to the individual an effective amount of IFN-γ

.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the probability of survival of the individual is at least about 10% greater than an expected probability of survival without administration of IFN-γ

.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the probability of survival of the individual is at least about 15% greater than an expected probability of survival without administration of IFN-γ

.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the risk of death of the individual is at least about two-fold less than an expected risk of death without administration of IFN-γ

.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 80 μ

g/m² to about 90 μ

g/m².

32. The method of claim 27, wherein IFN-γ

is administered in a dose of about 200 μ

g.

33. The method of claim 31 or 32, wherein IFN-γ

is administered three times weekly.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein IFN-γ

is administered by subcutaneous injection.