Melanocortin receptor-3 ligands to treat sexual dysfunction

US6534503B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Lion Bioscience AG · DE

Inventors

• Kevin C. Dines · Poway, US
• Timothy C. Gahman · Encinitas, US
• Beverly E. Girten · Sunnyvale, US
• Douglas L. Hitchin · San Diego, US
• Kevin R. Holme · Alameda, US
• Hengyuan Lang · San Diego, US
• Sandra R. Slivka · San Diego, US
• Karen J. Watson-Straughan · Encinitas, US
• Ronald R. Tuttle · Escondido, US
• Yazhong Pei · Aliso Viejo, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 13, 2000
• Grant date: Mar 18, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 13, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2500/00
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methods for treating sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction or sexual arousal disorder, with a compound having the generic formula X1—X2-(D)Phe-Arg-(D)Trp-X3. A particularly useful compound is HP-228, which has the formula Ac-Nle-Gln-His-(D)Phe-Arg-(D)Trp-Gly-NH2. The invention also provides methods for selecting melanocortin receptor-3 ligands by determining whether a compound modulates the activity of MC-3 as an agonist or antagonist. These methods can be used to screen compound libraries for ligands to treat MC-3-associated conditions. Such conditions include sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction and sexual arousal disorder.