Methods and compositions for the treatment of injury to the central nervous system

US6475998B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• YISSUM RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT COMPANY OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM LTD. · IL

Inventors

• Hermona Soreq · Nesher, IL
• Shlomo Seidman · Rishon LeZion, IL
• Esther Shohami · Mevaseret Tsiyon, IL

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 12, 1999
• Grant date: Nov 5, 2002
• Expiry date: Nov 12, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2310/111
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention provides methods and pharmaceutical compositions thereof for treating injury to the central nervous system (CNS). The method includes administering to the CNS of a patient suffering from such an injury a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) production immediately following the injury. The methods use as the inhibitor a synthetic nuclease resistant antisense oligonucleotide or ribozyme that is directed against an accessible domain of the AChE mRNA brain variant. The treatment downregulates AChE production and thereby activity. The injury to the CNS may be a head injury (closed or open), brain injury, or spinal cord trauma or other trauma to the CNS.