Hepatitis C virus proliferation inhibitor

• US 5,846,964 A
• Filed: 01/18/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TT Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Tanabe Company, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ozeki, Tsuneo
• Primary Examiner(s): HENLEY III, RAYMOND J
• Application Number:
  US08/586,633
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 514/182
• US Class Current: 514/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/575 substituted in position 17 beta by a chain of three or more carbon atoms, e.g. cholane, cholestane, ergosterol, sitosterol

Abstract

A hepatitis C virus proliferation inhibitor comprising a bile acid or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof is disclosed, as well as a method for treating a mammal infected with hepatitis C and a pharmaceutical composition for treating hepatitis C. As the bile acid to be used in the present invention, free bile acids, such as ursodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, and conjugated bile acids such as tauroursodeoxycholic acid are exemplified. Also, as the physiologically acceptable salt, alkali metal salts such as the sodium salt of the bile acid is exemplified.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting hepatitis C proliferation in a mammal infected with hepatitis C virus, comprising administering to the mammal a dosage consisting essentially of tauroursodeoxycholic acid or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof effective to inhibit hepatitis C proliferation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of administering comprises oral administration in a dose range of 800 to 3,000 mg/day.

3. A method of inhibiting hepatitis C proliferation in a mammal infected with hepatitis C virus, comprising administering to the mammal a dosage consisting essentially of chenodeoxycholic acid or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof effective to inhibit hepatitis C proliferation.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of administering comprises oral administration in a dose range of 800 to 3,000 mg/day.

5. A method of inhibiting hepatitis C proliferation in a mammal infected with hepatitis C virus, comprising administering to the mammal a dosage of bile acid or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof effective to inhibit hepatitis C proliferation, wherein said step of administering comprises oral administration in a dose range of 800 to 3,000 mg/day.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said dose range comprises 1,200 to 1,800 mg/day.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said dose range comprises 1,400 to 1,600 mg/day.