Prostacyclin derivative containing compositions and methods of using the same for the treatment of cancer

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a metastasis-inhibiting effective amount of at least one prostacyclin derivative selected from compounds of Formula I,

• 21
• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• X is selected from O or NH;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of O, N, S and C;
• R2 is an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom;
• and R is selected from H or an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for inhibiting metastasis of cancer cells within a warm-blooded animal including humans afflicted with cancer.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a protein degradation-inhibiting effective amount of at least one prostacyclin derivative selected from compounds of Formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof,

• 22
• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• X is selected from O or NH;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of O, N, S and C;
• R2 is an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom;
• and
• R is selected from H or an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for inhibiting protein degradation caused by cancer cells within a warm-blooded animal including humans afflicted with cancer.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising an apoptosis-promoting effective amount of at least one prostacyclin derivative selected from compounds of Formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof,

• 23
• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• X is selected from O or NH;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of O, N, S and C;
• R2 is an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom;
• and
• R is selected from H or an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for promoting apoptosis in cancer cells within a warm-blooded animal including humans afflicted with cancer.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antiproliferative effective amount of at least one prostacyclin derivative selected from compounds of Formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof,

• 24
• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• X is selected from O or NH;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of O, N, S and C;
• R2 is an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom;
• and
• R is selected from H or an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for controlling cell proliferation of cancer cells within a warm-blooded animal including humans afflicted with cancer.

A kit for treating cancer, said kit comprising:

• (i) a cancer-treating effective amount of at least one prostacyclin derivative selected from compounds of Formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof,
• 25
• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• X is selected from O or NH;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of O, N, S and C;
• R2 is an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom;
• and
• R is selected from H or an alkyl group having at least one carbon atom;
• (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier;
• and
• (iii) instructions for administering the at least one prostacyclin derivative and pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to a warm-blooded animal.