Compositions and methods for treating vitiligo

• US 9,943,563 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stealth BioTherapeutics, Inc. (Morningside Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Stealth BioTherapeutics Corp. (Morningside Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wilson, D. Travis
• Primary Examiner(s): Garyu, Lianko G
• Application Number:
  US15/100,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/07 Tetrapeptides
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/207 Pigmentation disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/52 Predicting or monitoring the response to treatment, e.g. for selection of therapy based on assay results in personalised medicine; Prognosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5044 involving specific cell types
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5091 for testing the pathological state of an organism
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6893 related to diseases not provided for elsewhere

Abstract

The present technology provides methods of preventing or treating vitiligo. The methods provide administering aromatic-cationic peptides in effective amounts to treat or ameliorate melanocyte degeneration such as that found in a subject suffering from, or predisposed to vitiligo. In some embodiments, the methods comprise administering to a subject suffering from, or at risk for vitiligo, an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide to subjects in need thereof. The present technology relates to the treatment, amelioration or prevention of vitiligo in mammals or mammalian cells, through administration of therapeutically effective amounts of aromatic-cationic peptides, such as D-Arg-2′,6′-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH2.

Claims

1. A method for treating vitiligo in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising:

administering a therapeutically effective amount of the peptide D-Arg-2′

,6′

-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH₂ or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the symptoms of vitiligo are selected from the group consisting of increased photosensitivity, decreased contact sensitivity response to dimtrochlorobenzene, depigmentation of the skin, mucous membranes, retina, or genitals, and premature whitening or graying of hair on the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows or beard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein vitiligo is associated with one or more of the following:

autoimmune thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, type I diabetes, Addison'"'"'s disease, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disorder, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein vitiligo is associated with at least one gene mutation located in the group consisting of NLRP1, TYR, HLA class I, HLA class II, HLA class III, PTPN22, XBP1, IL2RA, LPP, RERE, FOXP1, TSLP, CCR6, GZMB, UBASH3A, C1QTNF6, and FOXP3.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the peptide is administered orally, topically, systematically, intravenously, subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, or intramuscularly.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sequentially, separately, or simultaneously administering one or more therapeutic agents selected from the group consisting of:

topical steroid creams, monobenzone, psoralen photochemotherapy, antibiotics, hormones, antineoplastic agents, immunomodulators, dermatologic drugs, antithrombotic agents, and antianemic agents.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the mucous membranes comprise tissues lining the inside of the mouth and nose.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the autoimmune thyroid disease is Hashimoto'"'"'s thyroiditis or Graves'"'"' disease.