Inactivating enveloped viruses with a merocyanine dye

• US 4,775,625 A
• Filed: 11/21/1986
• Issued: 10/04/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medical College of Wisconsin Incorporated The Milwaukee WI
• Original Assignee: Medical College of Wisconsin Incorporated
• Inventors: Sieber, Fritz
• Primary Examiner(s): Marantz, Sidney
• Application Number:
  US06/933,697
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 435/238, 514/274, 544/300, 544/319, 424/89, 424/3
• US Class Current: 435/238
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2039/5252 inactivated (killed)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/505 Pyrimidines; Hydrogenated pyrimidines, e.g. trimethoprim
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/515 Barbituric acids; Derivatives thereof, e.g. sodium pentobarbital
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/12 Viral antigens
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/21 Retroviridae, e.g. equine infectious anemia virus
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/245 Herpetoviridae, e.g. herpes simplex virus
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/08 Radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3681 by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3686 by removing photoactive agents after irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2710/16634 Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2710/16663 by chemical treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2740/14034 Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 7/00 Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof preparing medicinal viral antigen or antibody compositions, e.g. virus vaccines, A61K39/00

Abstract

A method of inactivating viruses comprises bringing the viruses into contact with an effective amount of a photosensitizing agent which will bind to the viruses and/or virus infected cells, and then exposing the resulting mixture to visible light to excite and inactivate the viruses.

Claims

1. The method of inactivating an enveloped virus which comprises first bringing said enveloped virus into contact with an effective amount of a photosensitizing agent to inactivate said virus, said agent being a merocyanine dye which selectively binds to said virus and then exposing the combination of the virus and agent to visible light of sufficient strength for a sufficient period of time to photosensitize and inactive the virus.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the merocyanine dye is a compound of the following formula:

##STR4## in which n is 1-5;

X is oxygen, sulphur, --CR₁ R₂ --, or selenium;

Y is O or S;

M is an alkaline metal basic group;

R₁ and R₂ are the same or different alkyl groups of 1 to 8 carbons; and

R₃, R₄, R₅ and R₆ are selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl groups of 1 to 5 carbons, lower alkoxy groups of 1 to 5 carbons, phenyl lower alkyls; and

an aromatic ring formed by R₃ and R₄, or R₄ and R₅ or R₅ and R₆.

3. A method of claim 1 in which the merocyanine dye is selected from the group consisting of the following:

##STR5##

4. A method of inactivating an enveloped vircus without affecting its usefulness in making a vaccine whyich comprises bringing the virus into contact with an effective amount of a merocyanine dye photosensitizing agent to inactivate the virus and then subjecting the virus and photosensitizing agent to an effective amount of visible light for a sufficient length of time to inactivate the virus without affecting its usefulness in making a vaccine.

5. A method treating a disease which is caused by an enveloped virus, which disease results in lesions, said method comprising forming a combination of the enveloped virus in the lesions and an effective amount of a merocyanine dye photosensitizing agent to inactivate the virus and then exposing the combination to an effective amount of visible light for a sufficient length of time to inactivate said virus.