Therapeutic regulation of abnormal conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion

• US 5,545,617 A
• Filed: 11/12/1993
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schepens Eye Research Institute
• Original Assignee: The Schepens Eye Research Institute Inc (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dartt, Darlene A., Kessler, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleisher, Mindy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Degen, Nancy J.
• Application Number:
  US08/152,175
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 424/2, 424/9, 435/4, 435/29, 436/63, 514/12, 514/21, 514/816, 514/817, 514/818, 514/912, 514/914, 514/915
• US Class Current: 424/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/00 Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/135 having aromatic rings , e.g. ketamine, nortriptyline methadone A61K31/137
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/165 having aromatic rings, e.g. colchicine, atenolol, progabide
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/27 of carbamic or thiocarbamic acids, meprobamate, carbachol, neostigmine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/40 having five-membered rings with one nitrogen as the only ring hetero atom, e.g. sulpiride, succinimide, tolmetin, buflomedil
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/415 1,2-Diazoles
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/445 Non condensed piperidines, e.g. piperocaine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/46 8-Azabicyclo [3.2.1] octane; Derivatives thereof, e.g. atropine, cocaine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/48 Ergoline derivatives, e.g. lysergic acid, ergotamine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/505 Pyrimidines; Hydrogenated pyrimidines, e.g. trimethoprim
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/535 having six-membered rings with at least one nitrogen and one oxygen as the ring hetero atoms, e.g. 1,2-oxazines
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/046 Tachykinins, e.g. eledoisins, substance P; Related peptides
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/2278 Vasoactive intestinal peptide [VIP]; Related peptides (e.g. Exendin)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0004 Screening or testing of compounds for diagnosis of disorders, assessment of conditions, e.g. renal clearance, gastric emptying, testing for diabetes, allergy, rheuma, pancreas functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0048 Eye, e.g. artificial tears

Abstract

A method of treating patients suffering from aberrant conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion associated with a disorder of or injury to the eye is disclosed. The method, which is based on the discovery that conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion is under the control of the autonomic nervous system, includes administering to an affected eye of a patient a neural system stimulus or inhibitor for sensory, parasympathetic or sympathetic nervous system function. Also disclosed are a therapeutic composition and an article of manufacture including the therapeutic composition useful for carrying out the method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient suffering from excess conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion associated with a disorder of or injury to an eye, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a patient suffering from excess conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion associated with a disorder of or injury to an eye;

providing a therapeutic composition comprising a neural system inhibitor selected from the group consisting of adrenergics, cholinergics, dopaminergics, serotonergics, neuropeptides, neurotoxins, ion channel modulators and local anesthetics, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier substance; and

administering to an affected eye of said patient a therapeutically effective amount of said composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said patient is a human patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in said administering step, said therapeutic composition is applied topically to an ocular surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in said administering step, said therapeutic composition is applied subcutaneously to a region of to an eye of said patient adjacent an ocular surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said therapeutic composition comprises a neural system inhibitor selected from the group consisting of lidocaine, atropine, prazosin, phentolamine, timolol, haloperidol, methysergide, [4-Cl-D-Phe⁶, Leu¹⁷ ]-Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and [D-Arg¹, D-Phe⁵,D-Tryp⁷,9, Leu¹¹ ]-Substance P.

6. An article of manufacture comprising packaging material and a therapeutic composition contained within said packaging material, wherein the therapeutic composition is therapeutically effective for controlling excess conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion, and wherein the packaging material comprises a label that indicates that the therapeutic composition can be used for controlling excess conjunctival goblet cell mucous secretion associated with a disorder of or injury to an eye, and

wherein said therapeutic composition comprises a neural system inhibitor selected from the group consisting of adrenergics, cholinergics, dopaminergics, serotonergics, neuropeptides, neurotoxins, ion channel modulators and local anesthetics, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier substance.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein said therapeutic composition comprises a neural system inhibitor selected from the group consisting of lidocaine, atropine, prazosin, phentolamine, timolol, haloperidol, methysergide, [4-Cl-D-Phe⁶, Leu¹⁷ ]-Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and [D-Arg¹, D-Phe⁵,D-Tryp⁷,9, Leu¹¹ ]-Substance P.