Implantable pump for protein delivery for obesity control by drug infusion into the brain

• US 20070082843A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Stojanovic-Susulic, Vedrana, Cunningham, Mark, Venugopalan, Ramakrishna
• Granted Patent: US 7,790,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/178.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/34 Melanocyte stimulating hormone [MSH], e.g. alpha- or beta-melanotropin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/6811 the drug being a protein or peptide, e.g. transferrin or bleomycin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/6849 the antibody targeting a receptor, a cell surface antigen or a cell surface determinant
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/00 Drugs for disorders of the alimentary tract or the digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/04 Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents

Abstract

Methods and compositions are provided for suppressing appetite by surgically implanting a drug infusion pump into a site in a subject, and delivering a stable suspension of an appetite suppressing agent a region in a central nervous system of the subject. The appetite suppressing agent binds to a target receptor on a neural cell in the central nervous system and modifies the receptor function to suppress appetite.

Claims

1. A method of suppressing appetite comprising:

implanting a drug infusion pump into a site in a subject; and

delivering a stable suspension of an effective dosage of an appetite suppressing agent to a site in a central nervous system of the subject, wherein the appetite suppressing agent binds to a target receptor on a neural cell in the central nervous system and modifies the receptor function to suppress appetite.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the appetite suppressing agent is a melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the melanocyte-stimulating hormone is alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α

-MS H) peptide.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α

-MSH) peptide is conjugated to an antibody or antibody fragment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target receptor is a melanocortin receptor selected from the group consisting of melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R), melanocortin-2 receptor (MC2R), melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R), melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R), and melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target receptor is melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the site in the central nervous system is the brain.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a second appetite suppressing agent selected from the group consisting of leptin, NPY peptide, antagonist, PYY 3-36 peptide agonist or its analog, GLP-1 peptide or its analog and MCH receptor antagonist.

10. A method for ameliorating obesity in a subject, comprising:

implanting a drug infusion pump into a site in a subject; and

delivering a stable suspension of a melanocortin to a region in a central nervous system of the subject, wherein the melanocortin binds to a melanocortin receptor on a neural cell in the central nervous system and modifies the melanocortin receptor function to suppress appetite, thereby ameliorating obesity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the melanocyte-stimulating hormone is alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α

-MSH) peptide.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the target receptor is melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R).

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the target receptor is melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R).

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the region in the central nervous system is the brain.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising delivering a second appetite suppressing agent selected from the group consisting of leptin, NY peptide antagonist, PYY 3-36 peptide agonist or its analog, GLP-1 peptide or its analog, and MCH receptor antagonist.

12. The method of claim I 1, wherein the alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α

-MSH) peptide is conjugated to an antibody or antibody fragment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the target receptor is a melanocortin receptor selected from the group consisting of melanocor-1receptor (MC1R), melanocortin-2 receptor (MC2R), melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R), mel anocortin-4 receptor (MC4R), and melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R).

18. A system for suppressing appetite comprising:

an implantable drug infusion pump; and

a stable suspension of an effective dosage of an appetite suppressing agent wherein the appetite suppressing agent can bind to a target receptor on a neural cell in the central nervous system and upon binding modifies the receptor function to suppress appetite.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the appetite suppressing agent is a melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the melanocyte-stimulating hormone is alpha melanocytestimulating hormone (α

-MSH) peptide.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α

-MSH) peptide is conjugated to an antibody or antibody fragment.