# US 5,703,051 A · Therapeutic uses of melanin

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- Number: US 5,703,051 A
- Document ID: US5703051A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/988,739
- Filed: 1992-12-10
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1988-09-13
- Assignees: Biosource Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: David L Berliner; Robert L. Erwin; David R. McGee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703051A

## CPC

- C12P 17/00: Preparation of heterocyclic carbon compounds with only O, N, S, Se or Te as ring hetero atoms (C12P13/04 - C12P13/24 take precedence)
- A61K 31/40: having five-membered rings with one nitrogen as the only ring hetero atom, e.g. sulpiride, succinimide, tolmetin, buflomedil
- A61K 31/69: Boron compounds
- A61K 33/22: Boron compounds
- A61K 38/185: {Nerve growth factor [NGF]; Brain derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]; Ciliary neurotrophic factor [CNTF]; Glial derived neurotrophic factor [GDNF]; Neurotrophins, e.g. NT-3}
- A61K 38/22: Hormones (derived from pro-opiomelanocortin, pro-enkephalin or pro-dynorphin A61K38/33, e.g. corticotropin A61K38/35)
- A61K 47/6811: {the drug being a protein or peptide, e.g. transferrin or bleomycin}
- A61K 47/6815: {Enzymes}
- A61K 48/00: Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy
- A61P 25/00: Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
- A61P 25/16: Anti-Parkinson drugs
- A61P 25/18: Antipsychotics, i.e. neuroleptics; Drugs for mania or schizophrenia
- A61P 25/28: for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
- A61P 27/02: Ophthalmic agents
- A61P 43/00: Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
- C12N 9/0059: {Catechol oxidase (1.10.3.1), i.e. tyrosinase}
- C12N 9/0071: {acting on paired donors with incorporation of molecular oxygen (1.14)}
- C12Y 110/03001: Catechol oxidase (1.10.3.1), i.e. tyrosinase
- C12Y 114/18001: Tyrosinase (1.14.18.1)
- A61K 38/00: Medicinal preparations containing peptides (peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00)
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12Y: ENZYMES

## Abstract

The invention is directed to the treatment of degenerative diseases of tissues which have lost melanin and which share a common embryological basis as tissues of the nervous system by the administration of an active substance which causes an increased concentration of melanin in the tissue. Such active substances include melanin, melanin variants, melanin analogs, melanin derivatives, tyrosinase, tyrosinase gene, melanin-concentrating hormone and combinations thereof. Examples of such diseases include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, retinitis pigmentosa, schizophrenia and dementia. The invention is also useful in assisting in the repair of neurons in a mammal having neuron damage by administering an effective amount of an active substance which causes an increased concentration of melanin in the neuron to aid in nerve repair. The invention is further useful in protecting a mammal from a toxin-induced disease or from the adverse effects of a toxin by administering an effective amount of the active substance described above.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of administering a therapeutic agent to tissues within a mammal that share a common embryological basis as the nervous system using a carrier for the therapeutic agent wherein said carrier is a melanin wherein the therapeutic agent is used for a therapy with tissues in a mammal that share a common embryological basis with the nervous system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic agent is administered to the brain of said mammal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic agent is boron.

### Claim 4

A method of administering nerve growth factor to tissues within a mammal that share a common embryological basis as the nervous system using a carrier for the nerve growth factor wherein said carrier is a melanin.