System and method to modulate pain and itch through cutaneous transfer of genetic information
AssigneeCircuit Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorsChristopher L. Towne, Dan Andersen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment is directed to a method for altering the function of the sensory unit that innervates a targeted tissue region in a mammal comprising the steps of identifying the targeted tissue region; cutaneously administering into the targeted tissue region an adeno-associated virus wherein the viral genome encodes at least one exogenous protein; expressing the exogenous protein in the targeted sensory unit; and altering the function of the targeted sensory unit to treat or restore the sensory response because of the exogenous protein expression while not impacting the function of nearby sensory units.
Claims28
A method for altering the function of the sensory unit that innervates a targeted tissue region in a mammal comprising the steps of:
- a. identifying the targeted tissue region;
- b. cutaneously administering into the targeted tissue region an adeno-associated virus wherein the viral genome encodes at least one exogenous protein;
- c. expressing the exogenous protein in the targeted sensory unit;
- and
- d. altering the function of the targeted sensory unit to treat or restore the sensory response because of the exogenous protein expression while not impacting the function of nearby sensory units.
A method of treating or preventing an undesired or lack of sensory response of a region of tissue by altering the function of the sensory unit that innervates that tissue region in a mammal comprising the steps of:
- a. identifying the tissue region that has, will have, or is lacking the sensory response;
- b. cutaneously administering into the identified tissue region an adeno-associated virus comprising a coat protein selected from the group consisting of adeno-associated virus strain 1, adeno-associated virus strain 6, and adeno-associated virus strain 8 where the viral genome encodes at least one molecule that results in RNAi;
- c. expressing the RNAi molecule in the targeted sensory unit;
- and
- d. altering the function of the targeted sensory unit to treat or restore the sensory response because of the RNAi expression while not impacting the function of nearby sensory units.
A method of treating neuropathic pain in a region of tissue by altering the function of the sensory unit that innervates that tissue region in a mammal comprising the steps of:
- a. identifying the tissue region that has the undesired neuropathic pain;
- b. cutaneously administering into the identified tissue region an adeno-associated virus comprising a strain 6 coat protein where the genome encodes the opsin iC++;
- c. expressing iC++ in the targeted sensory unit and exposing the sensory unit to light;
- and
- d. reducing the neuropathic pain in the tissue region innervated by the sensory unit while not impacting the function of nearby sensory units.
A method of treating superficial somatic pain in a region of tissue by altering the function of the sensory unit that innervates that tissue region in a mammal comprising the steps of:
- a. identifying the tissue region that has the undesired superficial somatic pain;
- b. cutaneously administering into the identified tissue region an adeno-associated virus comprising a strain 6 coat protein where the genome that encodes iC++;
- c. expressing iC++ in the targeted sensory unit and exposing the sensory unit to light;
- and
- d. reducing the superficial somatic pain in the tissue region innervated by the sensory unit while not impacting the function of nearby sensory units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.