Compositions and methods for treating and preventing infection
OwnerGeorge A. Scheele, James E. Hildrethinventors
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Abstract
This invention relates to cholesterol-sequestering agents and methods of using cholesterol-sequestering agents to treat or prevent infection. The compositions of the invention can be used in vitro or in vivo to decrease the load of a microorganism in a biological sample. Methods of generating an immune response against a microorganism are also included.
Claims30
A method of preparing a pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising:
- contacting in vitro a sample comprising at least one envelope virus with an amount of a cholesterol-sequestering agent effective to lyse the envelope virus, thereby resulting in a lysate;
- and
- formulating at least a portion of the lysate in a pharmaceutical composition suitable for administration to a mammal, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises an amount of the lysate sufficient to generate an immune response against the envelope virus when administered to the mammal.
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a cholesterol-sequestering agent and at least a portion of a lysate of an envelope virus, wherein the composition is suitable for administration to a mammal and comprises an amount of the lysate sufficient to generate an immune response against the envelope virus when administered to the mammal.
A method of treating a viral infection in a mammal, the method comprising:
- selecting a mammal infected by an envelope virus or suspected of having been infected by an envelope virus;
- and
- administering to the mammal an amount of a cholesterol-sequestering agent effective to reduce viral load in the mammal.
A method of treating or preventing an infection in a mammal, the method comprising:
- selecting a mammal infected by a microorganism or suspected of having been infected by a microorganism, wherein during at least a portion of its life cycle the microorganism enters a cell of the mammal by endocytosis;
- and
- administering to the mammal an amount of a cholesterol-sequestering agent effective to reduce the load of the microorganism in the mammal.
A method of treating a viral infection in a mammal, the method comprising:
- removing blood from a mammal infected by an envelope virus;
- contacting the blood with an amount of a cholesterol-sequestering agent effective to reduce viral load in the blood, thereby resulting in reduced-viral load blood;
- and
- administering the reduced-viral load blood to the mammal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.