Methods and compositions for control of fetal growth via modulation of relaxin

• US 7,553,813 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corthera, Inc. (Novartis Ag)
• Original Assignee: Corthera, Inc. (Novartis Ag)
• Inventors: Unemori, Elaine
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao; Manjunath N
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, IAN D
• Application Number:
  US11/120,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 514/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/2221 Relaxins
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 15/00 Drugs for genital or sexual disorders for disorders of sex hormones A61P5/24; Contraceptives
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 15/06 Antiabortive agents; Labour repressants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 33/06 Antimalarials
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/06 Immunosuppressants, e.g. drugs for graft rejection
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 5/14 of the thyroid hormones, e.g. T3, T4
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/12 Antihypertensives
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6883 for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/106 Pharmacogenomics, i.e. genetic variability in individual responses to drugs and drug metabolism
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/158 Expression markers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

The invention relates to the method for treatment, diagnosis and prevention of diseases related to fetal growth and placental insufficiency and comprises methods including inhibiting or increasing relaxin synthesis, relaxin receptor synthesis, relaxin binding to the relaxin receptor, and relaxin receptor activity. The invention also relates to screening assays to identify compounds that modulate relaxin and/or relaxin receptor activity. The invention further relates to gene therapy methods utilizing relaxin and relaxin-related sequences for the treatment and prevention of diseases related to fetal growth and placental insufficiency.

Claims

1. A method of increasing intrauterine fetal growth rate, the method comprising administering to a primate in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of relaxin sufficient to maintain a serum concentration of at least about 1-2 ng/mL in said primate in order to increase fetal growth rate, wherein said relaxin is administered parenterally or by continuous subcutaneous infusion during the first trimester of pregnancy.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the relaxin is further administered before and after ovulation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the relaxin is further administered for about a week before ovulation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the relaxin is administered in an amount sufficient to result in the birth of a baby of at least around normal birth weight.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the relaxin is administered in an amount sufficient to maintain a serum concentration of at least around 1 ng/mL.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the relaxin is administered parenterally.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the relaxin is administered by continuous subcutaneous infusion.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the relaxin is administered at a dose between 10 μ

g/kg/day and 200 μ

g/kg/day.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the increase in fetal growth rate is assessed by an imaging technique.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the imaging technique is chosen from the group consisting of ultrasonic imaging and magnetic resonance imaging.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the pregnant primate is diagnosed as hosting a fetus with intrauterine growth retardation.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the diagnosis is by an imaging technique.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the imaging technique is chosen from the group consisting of ultrasonic imaging and magnetic resonance imaging.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the pregnant primate has a condition that increases the risk of fetal intrauterine growth retardation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of lupus, hyperthyroidism, hypertension, preeclampsia, malarial infection, serum antiphospholipid antibodies, a history of recent spontaneous abortion, a history of intrauterine growth retardation, a history of having children with low birthweight, a multiple gestation pregnancy, and a pregnancy resulting from in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the primate is a human.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the primate is a nonhuman primate.