United States Patent (19) 11) Patent Number: 5,532,219 Mcgeer Et Al
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US005532219A United States Patent (19) 11) Patent Number: 5,532,219 McGeer et al. 45) Date of Patent: Jul. 2, 1996 (54) DAPSONE AND PROMIN FOR THE Van Saane P. and Timmerman H., "Pharmacohistochemical TREATMENT OF DEMENTIA Aspects of Leprosy. Recent Developments and Prospects for New Drugs”, Pharm. Weekbl. 1989; 11:3-8 Abstract. 75 Inventors: Patrick L. McGeer, Vancouver, McGeer P. L., et al., “Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Alzhe Canada; Nobua Harada, Oku-gun; mier's Disease', Lancet 1990; 335:1037. Horoshi Kimura, Otsu, both of Japan; Evans D. A., et al., "Prevalence of Alzheimer Disease in a Edith G. McGeer; Michael Schulzer, Community Population of Older Persons', JAMA 1989; both of Vancouver, Canada 262:2551-6. Mortimer J. A., "Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: Preva 73) Assignee: The University of British Columbia, lence and Incidence", In: Reisberg B (ed) Alzheimer's Vancouver, Canada Disease, Glencoe, Free Press, 1983. Sulkava R., et al., "Prevalence of Severe Dementia in 21) Appl. No.: 42,658 Finland", Neurology 1985; 35:1025-9. 22 Filed: Apr. 5, 1993 Zhang M., et al., “The Prevalence of Dementia and Alzhe imer's Disease in Shanghai, China: Impact of Age, Gender Related U.S. Application Data and Education', Ann Neurol. 1990: 27:428-37. Itagaki S., et al., "Presence of T-cytotoxic Suppressor and I63) Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 689,498, Apr. 23, 1991, Leucocyte Common Antigen Positive Cells in Alzheimer's abandoned. Disease Brain Tissue', Neurosci. Lett. 1988; 91:259-64. 151 Int. Cl. ........................ A61K 31/13 McGeer P. L., et al., "Reactive Microglia in Patients with Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type are Positive for the (52) U.S. Cl. ................................. 514/42, 514/645 Histocompatibility Glycoprotein, HLA-DR.', Neurosci. 58) Field of Search ........................................ 514/42, 645 Lett. 1987; 79:195-200. 56) References Cited Rogers.J., et al., "Expression of Immune System-Associated Antigen by Cells of the Human Central Nervous System. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS Relationship to the Pathology of Alzheimer's Disease", 4,791,099 12/1988 Aroonsakul ................................. 514/2 Neurobiol. Aging 1988; 9:330–49. 4,855,308 8/1989 Kester et al. ........................... 514/332 McGeer P. L., et al., "Immune System Response in Alzhe imer's Disease', Can. J. Neurol. Sci. 1989; 16:516-27. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS McGeer P. L., et al., "Activation of hite Classical Comple 3923088 1/1991 Germany. ment Pathway in Brain Tissue of Alzheimer Patients', Neurosci. Lett. 1989; 107:341-6. OTHER PUBLICATIONS Akiyama H. and McGeer P. L., "Brain Microglia Constitu “The Merck Index', 1989, Merck & C., Inc., Rahway, N.J., tively Express B-2 Integrins', J. Neurolimmunol. 1990; U.S.A., #2820, 4357,8667, 8664, 8947, 9237. 30:81-93. "The Merck Index', 10th Ed., #2808, 4324 1983. Eikelenboom P., et al., "Complement Activation in Amyloid Capsticket al., 84CA:993 111W, 1976. Plaques in Alzheimer's Dementia", Virchows Arch. (Cell Stendahl et al., 98CA:1914689, 1983. Pathol.) 1989; 56:259-62. P. L. McGeer et al., Dementia, vol. 3, No. 3, 1992 pp. Cowdry, E. V. and Ruangsivi C., "Influence of Promin, 146-149, "Prevalence of Dementia Amongst Elderly Japa Starch and Heptaldehyde on Experimental Leprosy in Rats", nese with Leprosy: Apparent Effect of Chronic Drug Arch. Pathol. 32:632, 1941. Therapy'. Primary Examiner-Russell Travers Shibayama, H., et al., "Prevalence of Dementiain a Japanese Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala Elderly Population", Actua, Psychiat., Scand. 1986; 74: 144-51. (57) ABSTRACT Zuidema, J., et al., "Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Dapsone', Clin. Pharmacokinetics 1986; 11:299-315. This invention pertains to the novel use of 4,4'-diamino Boesen., P., et al., "Dapsone in Temporal Arteritis and diphenylsulfone and its didextrose sulfonate derivative and Polymaglia Rheumatica”, J. Rheumatol. 1988; 15:879-80. other closely related sulfones in the prevention and treat Lindskov, R. and Reyman F., "Dapsone in the Treatment of ment of dementia (Alzheimer's disease). A method of pre Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus', Dermatologia 1986; venting and treating dementia in a human being suffering 172:214-17. from dementia which comprises administering to the human Sharquie K. E., "Suppression of Behcet's Disease with being a therapeutic amount of a substance selected from the Dapsone', Brit. J. Dermatol. 1984; 110:493-4. group consisting of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone, its didex Guillevin L., “Treatment of Polyarteritis Nodosa with Dap trose sulfonate derivative, and sulfoxone, sulfetrone and sone', Scand. J. Rheumatol. 1986; 15:95-6. thiazolsulfone, and therapeutically acceptable salts thereof. Gabriel S. E., et al., “Rifampin Therapy in Rheumatol Arthritis', J. Rheumatoid. 1990; 17:163-6. 11 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Jul. 2, 1996 Sheet 1 of 2 5.532,219 Treated E. Untreated 65-69 70-74 779 80-84 28 5 AGE RANGE FIGURE 1 U.S. Patent Jul. 2, 1996 Sheet 2 of 2 5,532,219 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 5,532,219 1 2 DAPSONE AND PROMN FOR THE The substance can be effectively administered to the TREATMENT OF DEMENTIA human being suffering from dementia at dosage rates which can vary widely, and on schedules which can vary from This application is a continuation-in-part of application twice daily to once weekly. The substance can be either Ser. No. 07/689,498, filed Apr. 23, 1991, now abandoned. 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone, its didextrose sulfonate derivative, other closely related derivatives as mentioned FIELD OF THE INVENTION above or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Typical therapeutic dosages will be in the range of 2 to 20 micro This invention pertains to the novel use of 4,4'-diamino moles per kg body weight per day, and the preferred route diphenylsulfone and its didextrose sulfonate derivative and O will be oral. Typical dosage rate will be between about 50 closely related anti-lepromatous sulfones in the treatment of mg and 300 mg per day. dementia (Alzheimer's disease) in human beings. The invention also pertains to a composition useful for treating dementia comprising substances selected from the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION group consisting of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone, the didex 15 Alzheimer's Disease is by far the most common cause of trose sulfonate derivative of 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone, primary dementia. Either by itself, or in combination with sulfoxone, sulfetrone, thiazolsulfone, and pharmaceutically multiple infarcts, it accounts for almost 80% of all cases. No acceptable salts thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable treatment has been established which will prevent the onset carrier. or delay the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. It is 20 possible that known drugs would have an as yet unrecog DRAWINGS nized efficacy in this respect. 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone dapsone and its didextrose In the drawings: sulfonate derivative Promin'TM were first shown to have a FIG. 1 represents a block graphical comparison of demen favourable effect in treating rat leprosy in 1941 (Cowdry and 25 tia percentage among treated and untreated patients from the Ruangsiri, Arch. Pathol. 32:632, 1941). Successful clinical age of 65 to over 85. trials for the treatment of human leprosy followed and these FIGS. 2 and 3 represent block graphical comparisons of two compounds are now the most important anti-leprosy frequency of NFT's and SP's among leprosy and non drugs. The two drugs have since been used for treating a leprosy subjects aged over 70 years. variety of skin diseases such as dermatitis herpetiformis and 30 efficacy has been reported in several disorders of presumed autoimmune origin such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED erythematosus and Behcet's disease. Dapsone is a drug that EMBODEMENT OF THE INVENTION has been used worldwide for over 40 years. It has been found Immunohistochemical studies on Alzheimer brain tissue to have few side effects and these are well understood due 35 have suggested a chronic inflammatory process may play a to extensive experience with patients taking the drug con role in the observed neuronal degeneration. Dapsone, 4,4'- tinuously for many years. To the applicants' knowledge, diaminodiphenylsulfone, is effective in several chronic 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulfone and its didextrose sulfonate inflammatory disorders. derivative, and closely related antilepromatous sulfones have never been used or considered for the treatment of 40 Leprosy patients are almost universally treated with 44 dementia. diaminodiphenylsulfone (dapsone), the didextrose sulfonate derivative (Promin'M), or other closely related sulfones, Leprosy is no longer a fatal disorder, due in substantial over prolonged periods. As a result of such treatment, and measure to treatment with dapsone. It has anti-inflammatory the availability of these drugs, leprosy is no longer fatal, and action, which may seem paradoxical for treatment of an in many cases apparent cures can lead to drug withdrawal. infectious disease. However. M. leprae survives in macroph 45 The applicants have noted unexpectedly that the prevalence ages, and one of the deleterious consequences of the infec of dementia (Alzheimer disease) amongst elderly leprosy tion, which is reduced by dapsone, is widespread amyloi patients being treated with either of the two drugs noted has dosis. Dapsone has also been reported to be effective for the been unusually low. treatment of various presumed autoimmune diseases, includ ing dermatitis herpetiformis, rheumatoid arthritis, temporal 50 The applicants have conducted a formal survey of leprosy arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, cutaneous lupus erythe hospitals in Japan and have determined that there was matosus, Behcet's disease and polyarteritis nodosa. The significantly less prevalence of dementia amongst dapsone alternative antileprosy drugs, clofazimine and rifampicin, and Promin'M treated leprosy patients compared with those have also been reported to have efficacy in anti-inflamma who had been off such drugs for at least five years. It has tory therapeutic applications. 55 therefore been concluded that dapsone and Promin'TM, when administered on a daily dosage basis to the elderly patient, have a preventative action against dementia.