Apoptosis inhibitors for treating neurodegenerative diseases

• US 5,840,719 A
• Filed: 05/08/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eisai R & D Management Company Limited (Eisai Medical Research Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Eisai Company Limited (Eisai Medical Research Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brooks, deceased, Susan Frances, Rubin, Lee Laurence
• Primary Examiner(s): JORDAN, KIMBERLY R
• Application Number:
  US08/556,974
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 514/180, 514/181, 514/261, 514/263, 514/258, 514/275, 514/309, 514/334, 514/415, 514/474, 514/646
• US Class Current: 514/180
• 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 31/375 Ascorbic acid, i.e. vitamin C; Salts thereof
• 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 31/52 Purines, e.g. adenine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/57 substituted in position 17 beta by a chain of two carbon atoms, e.g. pregnane or progesterone
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/64 Sulfonylureas, e.g. glibenclamide, tolbutamide, chlorpropamide
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/28 for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00

Abstract

Apoptotic cell death in a fully differentiated, non-dividing cell such as a neuron is caused by an abortive attempt of the cell to re-enter or pass through the mitotic cycle. Therefore, agents which prevent such entry or passage are effective in preventing, or at least delaying, apoptotic cell death and are therefore useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in general, including stroke, Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, Parkinson'"'"'s disease and motor-neuron disease in particular.

Claims

1. A method of treating or preventing a disease involving apoptotic cell death, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof, or to cells of a subject, an effective amount of an agent that prevents cell entry into, or passage through, the mitotic cycle wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of serotonin, dopamine, ascorbic acid, gluquidone, caffeine, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cell death occurs in non-dividing cells.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the non-dividing cells are muscle cells.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the non-dividing cells are neurons.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, which is a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, motor-neuron disease, or neuronal cell death in stroke.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent is administered orally.