Methods and Compositions for Treating Polyps

Abstract

The invention relates generally to methods and compositions for treating sinusitis, asthma, or polyps. The invention also relates to methods and compositions for treating nasal polyps.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 011,568, filed Jan. 18, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates generally to methods and compositions for treating sinusitis, asthma, or polyps, and, more specifically, the invention relates to methods and compositions for treating nasal polyps.BACKGROUND[0003]Sinusitis is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in the United States, affecting an estimated 37 million people each year. Studies have demonstrated the major economic impact of this disorder, which can dramatically reduce workplace productivity and quality of life in affected individuals. Patients with chronic sinusitis whose symptoms are most refractory to treatment regimens often develop nasal polyps. Growth of these polyps leads to obstruction of the sinonasal passages, requiring repeated courses of ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for treating polyps, such as nasal polyps, by using high throughput microarray technology to identify genes and proteins that play a role in the pathogenesis of polyps. These genes and proteins can then be targeted with therapies to treat the polyps. The method can involve administering an agent to a subject who has or is suspected of developing a polyp, such as a nasal polyp, to alleviate symptoms or regress the polyp. The invention also provides a method for treating sinusitis and asthma by administering an agent to a subject to downregulate or upregulate the genes and proteins involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases. The method can involve delivering the agent locally or systemically and can involve using antagonists of periostin, protein phosphatase 1, MET, PP1, or zinc alpha2-glycoprotein. Overall, the invention provides a targeted approach for treating polyps and related diseases.

Problems solved by technology

Studies have demonstrated the major economic impact of this disorder, which can dramatically reduce workplace productivity and quality of life in affected individuals.

Growth of these polyps leads to obstruction of the sinonasal passages, requiring repeated courses of antibiotics to treat underlying infections and steroid therapy to reduce polyp load.

Currently, treatment of nasal polyps with antibiotics, steroids, allergy shots and even surgery is typically unsatisfactory.

Antibiotics require repeated courses and systemic administration, which increases the risk of developing antibiotic resistance and secondary yeast infections.

Antibiotics also do not eliminate polyps once they are formed.

Steroids reduce but do not eliminate polyps.

When given systemically for a long period of time, steroids have many severe side effects including elevation of blood pressure, insomnia, agitation, psychosis, increased susceptibility to infection, easy bruising, weight gain, osteoporosis and joint damage, hyperglycemia and worsening diabetes, cataracts, and muscular weakness.

When given intranasally, steroids can cause thinning of the nasal mucosa with subsequent bleeding.

In addition, intranasal steroids are not as effective as systemic steroids.

Side effects can be severe and include difficulty in breathing, arrhythmia and death.

The risk of surgery includes injury to the eye or brain, spinal fluid leak, loss of sense of smell and nosebleeds in addition to the risks associated with general anesthesia.

Furthermore, nasal polyps tend to regrow in at least one-third of patients, often necessitating repeat surgeries.

Thus, sinonasal disease is a problem of major clinical and societal impact for which curative therapeutic modalities are lacking.

However, prior studies of sinonasal tissue that used this technology focused on subsets of the genome and limited patient populations with upper airway disease (Fritz et al.

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