Methods for treating pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections

A method for treating a Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung infection, comprising:

• administering to the patient a macrolide antibiotic;
• and
• administering to the lungs of the patient for an administration period of at least six months, a pharmaceutical composition comprising amikacin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, encapsulated in a plurality of liposomes, wherein the lipid component of the plurality of liposomes consists of an electrically neutral phospholipid and cholesterol,
• wherein administering to the lungs of the patient comprises aerosolizing the pharmaceutical composition via a nebulizer to provide an aerosolized pharmaceutical composition comprising a mixture of free amikacin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and liposomal complexed amikacin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and administering the aerosolized pharmaceutical composition via the nebulizer to the lungs of the patient once daily in a single dosing session during the administration period;
• wherein during the administration period or subsequent to the administration period, the patient exhibits an NTM culture conversion to negative and walks an increased number of meters in the 6 minute walk test (6MWT), as compared to the number of meters walked by the patient prior to undergoing the treatment method.