| Recent
Patents on Anti-Infective Drug Discovery
ISSN: 1574-891X
Recent Patents on Anti-Infective
Drug Discovery
Volume 2, Number 1, January 2007
Contents
Recent Patents on Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) Pp. 1-10
Shumei Zhai, Wei Liu and Bing Yan
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Antibiotic Treatment Strategies for Helicobacter
pylori Infection Pp. 11-17
Salvatore M.A. Campo, A. Zullo, C. Hassan and S. Morini
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
An Insight on Targets and Patented Drugs for Chemotherapy
of Chagas Disease Pp. 19-51
Vilma G. Duschak and Alicia S. Couto
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Novel Therapies for Cytomegalovirus Disease
Pp. 53-72
Christoph Steininger
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Linezolid in Children: Recent Patents and Advances
Pp. 73-77
Ioanna M. Velissariou
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Medication Assisted Treatment of Drug Abuse and Dependence:
Global Availability and Utilization Pp. 79-86
Thomas F. Kresina
[Abstract] [Full
Text Article]
Patent Annotations Pp. 87-90
Patent Selections Pp. 91-93
Abstracts
[Back to top]
Recent Patents on Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS)
Shumei Zhai, Wei Liu and Bing Yan
[Full
Text Article]
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an epidemic
that spread worldwide in early 2003. The aetiological agent
was originally defined as a novel coronavirus and later designated
as the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which appears similar
to other coronaviruses in both virion structure and genome
organization with a single-stranded, plus-sense RNA. However,
the epidemiology and pathogenesis of SARS remain poorly understood
and there is currently no effective treatment. To date, considerable
research has been done on detection, prevention and treatment
of SARS. In this review, we mainly focus on the recent patents
and research work on detecting, preventing and treating SARS.
[Back to top]
Antibiotic Treatment Strategies for Helicobacter
pylori Infection
Salvatore M.A. Campo, A. Zullo, C. Hassan and S. Morini
[Full
Text Article]
In the third decade of the Helicobacter pylori era
several informations are available on its pathogenetic mechanisms,
as well as on therapeutic approaches. A 7-14 day triple or
quadruple regimens (proton pump inhibitor together with 2
antibiotics) are currently suggested as first-line treatment,
but the success rate following these therapy is constantly
decreasing worldwide. Therefore, new drugs are needed to treat
such a widespread infection. Several patents of new antibiotics
have been claimed in the last 5 years, and some of them showed
a very powerful antibacterial activity in vitro,
even against clarithromycin and metronidazole resistant strains.
Among the new compounds, thienylthiazole derivatives, benzamide
derivatives and pyloricidins should be regarded as very promising
molecules.
[Back to top]
An Insight on Targets and Patented Drugs for Chemotherapy
of Chagas Disease
Vilma G. Duschak and Alicia S. Couto
[Full
Text Article]
Chagas disease or American Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic infection
typically spread by triatomine bugs, affects millions of people
throughout Latin America. Current chemotherapy based on the
nitroaromatic compounds, benznidazole and nifurtimox provides
unsatisfactory results and suffers from considerable side
effects and low efficacy. Therefore, there is an urgent need
for new drugs to treat this neglected disease.
Over the last two decades, new advances and understanding
in the biology and the biochemistry of Trypanosoma cruzi
has allowed the identification of multiple targets for Chagas
disease chemotherapy. This review summarizes antichagasic
agents obtained based on i) target metabolic biochemical pathways
or parasite specific enzymes, ii) natural products and its
derivatives, iii) design and synthesis of lead compounds.
Related patents filed and issued from 2000 to early 2006 are
also discussed. Most of them claimed inhibitors on specific
parasite targets such as cysteine proteinase, sterol biosynthesis,
protein farnesyltransferase, etc. Particularly, those related
to cysteine proteinase inhibitors were the most represented.
Natural products also displayed many anti-T cruzi
lead compounds. In addition, a few patents claiming natural
or synthetic compounds with antichagasic activity, disclosed
no specific target. However, only a small proportion of all
these patents displayed specific data of biological trypanocidal
activity.
[Back to top]
Novel Therapies for Cytomegalovirus Disease
Christoph Steininger
[Full
Text Article]
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most important
infectious complications of solid-organ transplantation, a
serious, life-threatining, opportunistic pathogen in HIV-infected
patients, and may cause hearing defects and irreversible central
nervous system disease in infants infected during gestation.
Four drugs are currently licensed for prophylaxis, pre-emptive
therapy, and treatment of CMV infection - ganciclovir, and
its oral prodrug valganciclovir, foscarnet, cidofovir, and
fomivirsen. All four drugs are effective against CMV infection.
Toxicities, drug-drug interactions, poor bioaailibility, and
the development of drug resistance, however, are clinically
relevant and common limitations of these drugs. Novel compounds
are on the horizon that possibly will become useful alternatives
to currently licensed drugs. Maribavir, a benzimidazol, is
the most promising novel drug and closest to clinical application.
Several phase II clinical trials proved its good tolerability
and effectivity. Other compounds are currently evaluated in
pre-clinical and phase I trials with promising preliminary
data. In addition, analogs of cidofovir posess significantly
improved pharmacological and virological characteristics allowing
their oral administration. This review summarizes the current
status in drug development and will introduce the most recent
patents on this line of research.
[Back to top]
Linezolid in Children: Recent Patents and Advances
Ioanna M. Velissariou
[Full
Text Article]
Linezolid is the first approved member of a new generation
of antibiotics, the synthetic oxazolidinones, to become available,
with a broad spectrum of in vitro activity against
Gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus
faecalis and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
It has an excellent bioavailability both intravenously and
orally and a very good safety profile both in adults and in
children.
With regards to its antimicrobial action, linezolid has a
predominantly bacteriostatic action, rather than a bacteriocidal
effect and is active against Gram-positive bacteria that are
resistant to other antibiotics.
Linezolid is currently showing great promise for the treatment
of multi-resistant Gram-positive infections, both in the community
and in a hospital setting. Clinical indications so far include
skin and soft tissue infections, community-acquired or nosocomial
pneumonia due to MRSA, VRE bacteremia and community-acquired
pneumonia due to penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.
We anticipate that this new generation of antimicrobial agents
will provide adequate cover in the future for infections that
cause significant treatment failures so far, such as VRE-
associated endocarditis, bone and joint multi-drug resistant
infections and possibly central nervous system infections,
both in adult and children populations. Some patents on linezolid
are also discussed in this review.
[Back to top]
Medication Assisted Treatment of Drug Abuse and Dependence:
Global Availability and Utilization
Thomas F. Kresina
[Full
Text Article]
Clinical trials and clinical studies, using patented
drugs and drugs off patent, provide data that impact the best
treatment practices for substance abuse and dependence. In
the United States, medications have been approved for use
in the treatment of both alcohol and opioid dependence. Medications
are used in the detoxification from drug abuse and dependence
in the symptomatic relief of withdrawal. For long term treatment
or medical maintenance treatment, medications eliminate the
physiological effects of drug use by blocking drug-receptor
binding in the brain. Therefore, patented drugs showing interactions
with neurotransmitters in the brain, are attractive candidates
for treatment efficacy trials. An effective long term treatment
paradigm for reducing drug dependence is the combinatorial
use of medications that block the effects of drug use with
behavior change counseling and psychotherapy. Medications
used for the long term treatment of opioid dependence are
methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Pharmacotherapies
used in the treatment of alcohol dependence include acamprosate,
antabuse and naltrexone. A reliable indicator for successful
treatment of drug dependence is time in treatment. Patients
remain in long term treatment when they perceive that their
health care environment is supportive and non-stigmatizing
and with a good patient-provider relationship where their
needs are identified and met. Additional medications are needed
for individual comprehensive substance abuse treatment plans,
particularly for individuals who abuse stimulants. Patented
drugs remain an important source of candidate pharmacotherapies
comprising medication assistant treatment, part of a comprehensive
treatment plan for drug dependence that addresses the medical,
social, and psychological needs of the patient. Adapting this
drug treatment paradigm globally requires identifying and
testing new drug candidates while building and changing programs
to patient centered treatment programs that promote access
to care and treatment and integrate medical, psychological,
and social services.
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