Novel of cytokine inhibitors

Abstract

The use of substance that inhibits a pro-inflammatory cytokine, such as TNF or IL-1, for the production of a pharmaceutical composition for improving wound healing is disclosed. Also, a method for improving wound healing wherein a therapeutically effective amount of a substance that inhibits a pro-inflammatory cytokine is administered to a patient in need of said treatment is disclosed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for improving wound healing. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Wound healing is a positive physiological reaction that may restore anatomy and function of various tissues after trauma. The trauma may be accidental, the result of surgical intervention or the effect of a disease or genetic condition. The ideal end result of wound healing should be to restore the tissues to the situation before the trauma. Wound healing may be delayed or incomplete due to various independent factors. This may lead to chronic conditions with impaired restoration and function of the injured tissue. Many factors delaying the wound healing may be inhibited by specific treatment. For instance, infections may be treated by antibiotics, reduced blood flow may be treated by compression bandages and oxygen therapy and seromas may be evacuated by drainage. One additional way to facilitate wound healing would b...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The inventor therefore assumed that a more feasible way to improve would healing than previously suggested was to reduce the activity of proinflammatory substances, which he also later found to be true. This both prevents cell migration to the site of wound healing and may shift the balance of stimulation and inhibition of tissue regeneration in favor of stimulation. Since TNF and IL-1 are responsible for both these mechanisms, the most efficient way to improve wound healing is to inhibit the action of these two proinflammatory cytokines or other pro-inflammatory cytokines. This was also confirmed in the example displayed below.

Problems solved by technology

To his surprise, he found, contrary to what could be expected, that the wound healing was significantly impaired in the rats exposed to TNF.

Since administration of TNF increased scar formation and also negatively influenced the wound healing per se, the inventor realized that the in vitro data acquired in experimental settings regarding fibroblast regulation are not applicable in vivo, and that these findings had to be re-evaluated in light of the in vivo situation.

The cytokine network is complex and what may seem to be evident from an in vitro setting may often prove not to be applicable in the in vivo setting.