Method of treating neurodegenerative diseases

• US 6,531,488 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Block, Gilbert A., Wold-Olsen, Per
• Primary Examiner(s): CRIARES, THEODORE J
• Application Number:
  US09/763,557
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 514/408, 514/315, 514/438, 514/461
• US Class Current: 514/315
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/34 having five-membered rings with one oxygen as the only ring hetero atom, e.g. isosorbide
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/38 having sulfur as a ring hetero atom
• 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 31/55 having seven-membered rings, e.g. azelastine, pentylenetetrazole
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of treating a neurodegenerative disease, and in particular Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment or other objective memory impairment which comprises the co-administration of ARICEPT or other cholinesterase inhibitor or cholenergic angonist and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Although a wide range of COX-2 inhibitors may be employed in combination with ARICEPT, there are preferred choices which are specifically set forth herein.

Claims

1. A method of treating a Mild Cognitive Impairment in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human an effective amount of a cholinesterase inhibitor or a cholenergic receptor agonist and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

2. A method according to claim 1 of treating a Mild Cognitive impairment in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human an effective amount of ARICEPT and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

5. A Method according to claims 1 wherein the selective COX-2 inhibitor is selected from

3. A method of treating a Mild Cognitive Impairment in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human 5 or 10 mg of ARECEPT, once or twice a day and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

4. A method of treating a Mild Cognitive Impairment in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human an effective amount of a cholinesterase inhibitor or a cholenergic agonist and 5 to 400 mg of a selective COX-2 inhibitor once or twice a day.

6. A method of treating Alzheimer'"'"'s disease in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human an effective amount of a cholinesterase inhibitor or a cholenergic receptor agonist and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

7. A method according to claim 6 of treating Alzheimer'"'"'s disease in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human an effective amount of ARICEPT and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

9. A method according to claims 7 wherein the selective COX-2 inhibitor is selected from

8. A method of treating Alzheimer'"'"'s disease in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human 5 or 10 mg of ARECEPT, once or twice a day and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

10. A method of treating a Mild Cognitive Impairment in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human 5 or 10 mg of ARECEPT, once or twice a day and 5 to 400 mg of a selective COX-2 inhibitor once or twice a day.

11. A method of treating Alzheimer'"'"'s disease in a human consisting essentially of co-administering to said human 5 or 10 mg of ARECEPT, once or twice a day and 5 to 400 mg of a selective COX-2 inhibitor once or twice a day.

12. A pharmaceutical compositions for treating Mild Cognitive Impairment, consisting essentially of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a non-toxic therapeutically effective amount of ARICEPT and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

13. A pharmaceutical compositions for treating Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease, consisting essentially of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a non-toxic therapeutically effective amount of ARICEPT and an effective amount of a selective COX-2 inhibitor compound.