Methods for treatment or prophylaxis of atherosclerosis and reperfusion injury

• US 7,897,561 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Girish J. Kotwal, Gudmundur J. Arason
• Original Assignee: Girish J. Kotwal, Gudmundur J. Arason
• Inventors: Arason, Gudmundur Johann, Kotwal, Girish J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Russel; Jeffrey E
• Application Number:
  US11/916,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 514/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/162 from virus

Abstract

The invention includes a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of atherosclerosis, and/or for the treatment or prophylaxis of reperfusion injury in a subject in need of treatment by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a complement inhibitor. The complement inhibitor may be a molecule which can inhibit activation of at least one complement component, inhibit activity of at least one activated complement component, act as an antagonist against at least one complement receptor, or combinations thereof. The complement inhibitor can be a vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP).

Claims

1. A method of treating atherosclerosis, comprising:

administering to a subject in need of treatment for atherosclerosis a therapeutically effective amount of a complement inhibitor, wherein the complement inhibitor is a vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP) or fragment thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is a mammal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subject is a human.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein administering to the subject the complement inhibitor comprises intravenously injecting into the subject the complement inhibitor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the complement inhibitor ranges from about 0.01 g/kg to about 0.1 g/kg per dose.

6. A method of inhibiting the production or progression of one or more atherosclerotic lesions within the vasculature of a subject, comprising:

administering to a subject having one or more atherosclerotic lesions a therapeutically effective amount of a complement inhibitor, wherein the complement inhibitor is a vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP) or fragment thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the subject is a mammal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subject is a human.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein administering to the subject the complement inhibitor comprises intravenously injecting into the subject the complement inhibitor.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the complement inhibitor ranges from about 0.01 g/kg to about 0.1 g/kg per dose.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the vasculature comprises a cardiac artery.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vasculature comprises an aorta.

13. A method for treating a reperfusion injury, comprising:

administering to a subject in need of treatment for a reperfusion injury a therapeutically effective amount of a vaccinia complement control protein (VCP) or fragment thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the subject is a mammal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the subject is a human.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the VCP or fragment thereof is administered prior to or during reperfusion of a coronary artery.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the VCP or fragment thereof is administered as a single bolus treatment.