Polymer Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Microvascular Diseases
AssigneeSynth Rx, Inc.
InventorsRobert L. Hunter, Martin Emanuele
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are provided for the treatment of chronic microvascular diseases characterized by inflammation, such as age-related macular degeneration, by administering a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer. Although a single dose can be effective, multiple treatments can be administered to achieve an optimal and sustained effect. Preferably, a single administration followed by repeated weekly administration of the pharmaceutical composition, but not continuous infusion, achieves a desired effect. Methods of diagnosis and characterization of chronic microvascular diseases using the copolymer are also provided.
Claims20
A method of treating a chronic microvascular disease in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the copolymer has the following chemical formula:
- HO(C2H4O)a—(C3H6O)b—(C2H4O)aH
- that can also be written as
- wherein (C3H6O)b is a hydrophobe portion of the copolymer and wherein (C2H4O)a is a hydrophile portion of the copolymer,
- wherein b is an integer such that the hydrophobe portion represented by (C3H6O)b has a molecular weight of approximately 950 to 4000, and wherein a is an integer such that the hydrophile portion represented by (C2H4O)a constitutes approximately 50% to 90% by weight of the copolymer,
- thereby treating the chronic microvascular disease in the mammal.
A method of diagnosing a chronic microvascular disease in a mammal comprising:
- (a) administering to the mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymer and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the copolymer has the following chemical formula:
- HO(C2H4O)a—(C3H6O)b—(C2H4O)aH
- that can also be written as
- wherein (C3H6O)b is a hydrophobe portion of the copolymer and wherein (C2H4O)a is a hydrophile portion of the copolymer,
- wherein b is an integer such that the hydrophobe portion represented by (C3H6O)b has a molecular weight of approximately 950 to 4000, and wherein a is an integer such that the hydrophile portion represented by (C2H4O)a constitutes approximately 50% to 90% by weight of the copolymer,
- (b) measuring an amount of an inflammatory indicator in a bodily fluid of the mammal, and
- (c) correlating a change in the amount of the inflammatory indicator with the identity of a chronic microvascular disease,
- thereby diagnosing a chronic microvascular disease in the mammal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.