Method for treating intervertebral disc displacement with enzymes

• US 4,696,816 A
• Filed: 11/07/1985
• Issued: 09/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seikagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Connective Tissue Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, J. R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rollins, John W.
• Application Number:
  US06/796,302
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 424/94
• US Class Current: 424/94.65
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/47 acting on glycosyl compounds (3.2), e.g. cellulases, lactases

Abstract

The method for treating intervertebral disc displacement in mammals which comprises injecting into the intervertebral disc space effective amounts of a pharmacologically suitable solution of the enzyme chondroitinase to bring about the selective chemonucleolysis of the nucleus pulposus.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment of intervertebral disc displacement in humans who have been medically examined and screened for contraindications to chemonucleolysis which comprises administering an effective amount of the cartilage-dissolving enzyme chondroitenase directly into the intervertebral disc space.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentration of chondroitenase constituting the effective amount is 100 units per human disc in the form of 50 units per cc of sterile water without preservatives.

3. A method for the treatment of intervertebral disc displacement in humans who have been medically examined and screened for contraindications to chemonucleolysis which comprises administering an effective amount of the cartilage-dissolving enzyme chondroitenase directly into the intervertebral disc space, said chondroitenase being produced from the bacteria Proteus vulgaris.

4. A method for the treatment of intevertebral disc displacement in humans who have been medically examined and screened for contraindications to chemonucleolysis which comprises administering an effective amount of the cartilage-dissolving enzyme chondroitenase directly into the intervertebral disc space, said chondroitenase being produced from the bacteria Arthrobacter auerescens.

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a sterile solution containing as an active ingredient chondroitenase in an admixture with sterile water without preservatives, said solution being adapted to be injected into a patient for the treatment of intervertebral disc displacement.