Pharmaceutical compositions comprising an adenosine receptor agonist or antagonist

Abstract

Adenosine receptor agonists, particularly an agonist which binds to the A3 adenosine receptor, are used for induction of production or secretion of G-CSF within the body, prevention or treatment of toxic side effects of a drug or prevention or treatment of leukopenia, particularly drug-induced leukopenias; and inhibition of abnormal cell growth and proliferation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is generally in the field of cancer and concerns a cancer therapy or a therapy intended to counter the side effect of cancer treatment. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Myelotoxicity is a prevailing, severe, complication of chemotherapy and is one of the factors that limit the administrable dose of the chemotherapeutic drug. It causes more life threatening patient morbidity and actual mortality than any other chemotherapeutic side effect and may result in an increased number of hospital stay days. In addition, drug induced myelosuppression limits the administration of larger, potentially more effective doses of chemotherapy to patients with malignancies. Several approaches to resolve this adverse event have included the use of lithium, prostaglandin E, interferon, lactoferrin and the growth factors granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). To date, use of growth f...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] In accordance with the present invention it was found that adenosine A3 receptor agonists (A3RAg) have a dual effect in that they inhibit proliferation of malignant cells on the one hand, and counter toxic side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on the other hand. Specifically, the A3RAg compounds inhibit proliferation and growth of tumor cells, synergize with an anti-tumor cytotoxic drug in reducing the tumor load, induce proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow cells and white blood cells and counter toxic side effects of other drugs, particularly chemotherapeutic drugs. Furthermore, it was discovered in accordance with the invention that the A3RAg exerts these activities by a variety of forms of administration including parenteral administration and particularly oral administration. It was further found in accordance with the invention that some of the A3RAg activity may be mimicked by other agonists and antagonists of the adenosine A1 or A2 receptors: the adenosine A1 receptor agonists (AlRAg) shares with the A3RAg its ability to induce G-CSF secretion; adenosine A2 receptor agonist (A2RAg) shares with the A3RAg its ability to inhibit proliferation of malignant cells; and the adenosine A2 receptor antagonist (A2RAn) shares with the A3RAg its ability to counter toxic side effects of drugs, e.g., treat or prevent leukopenia.

[0008] Several embodiments are provided by the invention. The first embodiment, to be referred to herein as the “G-CSF-inducing embodiment” involves the use of an active ingredient, which may be an A3RAg or an A1RAg to yield secretion of the G-CSF within the body of a treated subject. G-CSF is known to stimulate proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors and controls the functional activities of neutrophils and macrophages. Thus, a G-CSF-inducing agent, such as those mentioned above, may have a high therapeutic value, for example, in countering (i.e., preventing, reducing or ameliorating) myelotoxicity.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention the administration of the active ingredient is intended to achieve dual therapeutic effect: inhibition of abnormal cell growth and reduction of toxic side effects of a drug causing such effects.

Problems solved by technology

It causes more life threatening patient morbidity and actual mortality than any other chemotherapeutic side effect and may result in an increased number of hospital stay days.

In addition, drug induced myelosuppression limits the administration of larger, potentially more effective doses of chemotherapy to patients with malignancies.

However, the G-CSF treatment is costly and as it is a recombinant protein, it has accompanying side effects.

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