Methods for facilitating weight loss

• US 7,794,386 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brooks, Gregory F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hopkins; Christine D
• Application Number:
  US11/376,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 600/37, 600 29- 32, 128897-899, 424/183.1, 424/236.1, 424/239.1, 424/247.1, 424/423, 424/484
• US Class Current: 600/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0003 Apparatus for the treatment of obesity; Anti-eating devices surgical instruments or methods for treatment of obesity, devices specially adapted therefor A61B17/00; hollow or tubular parts of organs A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0056 using injection ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/4893 Botulinum neurotoxin (3.4.24.69)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0019 Injectable compositions; Intramuscular, intravenous, arterial, subcutaneous administration; Compositions to be administered through the skin in an invasive manner non-active ingredients are additionally classified in A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/08 Solutions composition of solutions A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/19 lyophilised , i.e. freeze-dried, solutions or dispersions lyophilised products with subsequent particle size reduction A61K9/14; granules or pellets made by lyphilisation A61K9/1682; solid oral dosage forms made by lyophilisation A61K9/2095; lyophilisation additives A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2018 Sugars, or sugar alcohols, e.g. lactose, mannitol; Derivatives thereof, e.g. polysorbates
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2059 Starch, including chemically or physically modified derivatives; Amylose; Amylopectin; Dextrin

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for facilitating weight loss in a patient. In some embodiments, the methods comprise the steps of locally administering a botulinum toxin to a stomach tissue of an obese patient, and deploying a gastric band around the stomach of the patient.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating weight loss, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering a botulinum toxin to a stomach tissue of a patient; and

(b) deploying a gastric band around the stomach of the patient and within about less than 10 cm from the stomach tissue to which the botulinum toxin is administered to provide a contrast muscle tone region on the stomach, thereby facilitating weight loss by the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of administering is administering locally.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the botulinum toxin is administered locally at a site or in a vicinity of the site where the gastric band contacts the stomach.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the botulinum toxin is administered locally to an upper part of the stomach.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of administering the botulinum toxin relaxes a muscle of the stomach prior to the step of deploying the gastric band around the stomach.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(c) tightening or loosening the gastric band around the stomach.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of administering the botulinum toxin relaxes a muscle of the stomach prior to the step of tightening or loosening of the gastric band.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxins types A, B, C₁, D, E, F and G.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is an obese patient.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the stomach tissue is a stomach smooth muscle.

12. A method for treating obesity, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering a botulinum toxin type A to a muscle of a stomach of an obese patient to provide a contrast muscle tone region on the stomach; and

(b) deploying a gastric band around the stomach of the obese patient and within about less than 10 cm from where the botulinum toxin is administered to provide the contrast muscle tone region on the stomach, thereby treating the obesity.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

(c) tightening or loosening the gastric band around the stomach in conjunction with a prior injection of botulinum toxin locally to the muscle.

14. A method for securing a gastric band in place around a stomach, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) locally administering a botulinum toxin to a stomach at a site or in a vicinity of a site where the gastric band contacts the stomach, wherein the administration of the botulinum toxin creates a contrast muscle tone region on the stomach and wherein the botulinum toxin is administered along a line where the gastric band is to contact the stomach;

(b) deploying the gastric band around the stomach, wherein the gastric band fits into the contrast muscle tone region, thereby securing the gastric band to the stomach.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the site of botulinum toxin administration is on a greater curvature side of the stomach.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of locally administering the botulinum toxin is to more than one site on the stomach.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxins types A, B, C₁, D, E, F and G.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the gastric band is secured to the stomach by not slipping off from the stomach.

20. A method for deploying a gastric band around a stomach, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering a botulinum toxin circumferentially to a stomach tissue of a patient to provide a contrast muscle tone region on the stomach; and

(b) deploying a gastric band around the stomach of the patient;

wherein the gastric band is deployed within about less than 10 cm from the stomach tissue to which the botulinum toxin is administered.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the botulinum toxin is administered locally.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the botulinum toxin is administered locally at a site or in a vicinity of the site where the gastric band contacts the stomach.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the botulinum toxin is administered locally to an upper part of the stomach.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of administering the botulinum toxin relaxes a muscle of the stomach prior to the step of deploying the gastric band around the stomach.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

(c) tightening or loosening the gastric band around the stomach.

26. The method of claim 25, where the step of administering the botulinum toxin relaxes a muscle of the stomach prior to the step of tightening or loosening of the gastric band.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxins types A, B, C₁, D, E, F and G.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the patient is an obese patient.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the stomach tissue is a stomach smooth muscle.

31. A method for facilitating weight loss, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a botulinum toxin onto a surface of a gastric band intended to contact a stomach of a patient; and

(b) deploying the gastric band having the botulinum toxin coated thereon around the stomach of the patient to provide a contrast muscle tone region on the stomach associated with the gastric band coated with the botulinum toxin, thereby facilitating weight loss by the patient.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxins types A, B, C₁, D, E, F and G.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A.