Methods of treating hepatitis

• US 9,522,163 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Yale University
• Original Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Yale University
• Inventors: Otterbein, Leo E., Choi, Augustine M. K., Zuckerbraun, Brian Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Fisher, Abigail
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, FRANK I
• Application Number:
  US14/094,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/00 Medicinal preparations containing inorganic active ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/16 for liver or gallbladder disorders, e.g. hepatoprotective agents, cholagogues, litholytics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/12 Antivirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/14 for RNA viruses
• 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 present invention relates to a method of treating hepatitis in a patient, which includes administering a pharmaceutical composition that includes carbon monoxide to the patient.

Claims

1. A method of treating hepatitis in a patient at risk of acute liver failure, comprising:

identifying a patient diagnosed as suffering from hepatitis that is not a post-operative result of liver transplantation, and who is at risk of acute liver failure; and

administering to the patient by inhalation a gaseous pharmaceutical composition comprising from 100 ppm to 800 ppm of carbon monoxide for up to six hours per day to reduce hepatocyte death in the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is infected with a virus selected from the group consisting of:

hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis D virus, hepatitis E virus, and hepatitis G virus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is an alcoholic.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising administering antiviral agents to the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hepatitis is caused by exposure to a hepatotoxic agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein administering the gaseous composition comprising carbon monoxide comprises:

providing a vessel containing a pressurized gas comprising carbon monoxide gas;

releasing the pressurized gas from the vessel, to form an atmosphere comprising carbon monoxide gas; and

exposing the patient to the atmosphere.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising withholding or reducing administration of hepatitis-inducing drugs.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising administering corticosteroids to the patient.