Treatment and composition for wound healing

Abstract

A method and medicament for promoting wound healing in a subject is disclosed. The medicament comprises an effective amount of an agent comprising one or more of; (i) an activated protein C (APC), (ii) a functional fragment of an APC, (iii) an APC mimetic compound, and (iv) protein C. Delivery systems including gels, sponges, gauzes and meshes incorporating the agent for topical administration are also described.

1 . A method for promoting wound healing in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of an agent comprising one or more of; 
 (i) an activated protein C (APC),    (ii) a functional fragment of an APC,    (iii) an APC mimetic compound, and    (iv) protein C,    optionally in admixture with a pharraceutically-acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is APC.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the agent is human APC.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is protein C.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the agent is human protein C.  
     
     
         6 . The method of any one of claims  1 ,  4  and  5 , wherein the protein C is administered with an activator for protein C.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of thrombin, kalikrein and/or thrombomodulin.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a functional fragment of APC.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is an APC mimetic compound.  
     
     
         10 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the agent is administered to said subject within  1  to  10  hours of wounding.  
     
     
         11 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the wound for which wound healing is to be promoted is selected from the group consisting of dermal ulcers, burns, oral wounds, eye wounds, non-cutaneous wounds, ischemia-reperfusion injury, bone and cartilage damage and warfarin-related skin necrosis.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wound for which wound healing is to be promoted is a dermal ulcer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein the agent is administered topically.  
     
     
         14 . The method of any one of  claims 1  to  13 , wherein the effective amount of the agent is in the range of 0.1 to 1000μg per kg of body weight.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the effective amount of the agent is in the range of 0.1 to 10 μg per kg of body weight.  
     
     
         16 . A medicament for promoting wound healing in a subject, said medicament comprising an amount of an agent comprising one or more of; 
 (i) an activated protein C (APC),    (ii) a functional fragment of an APC,    (iii) an APC mimetic compound, and    (iv) protein C,    in admixture with a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         17 . The medicament of  claim 16 , wherein the agent is human APC.  
     
     
         18 . The medicament of  claim 16 , wherein agent is human protein C.  
     
     
         19 . The medicament of  claim 16  or  18 , further comprising an activator for the protein C.  
     
     
         20 . The medicament of  claim 19 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of thrombin, kallikrein and/or thrombomodulin.  
     
     
         21 . The medicament of any one of  claims 16  to  20 , wherein the medicament is for treatment of a wound selected from the group consisting of dermal ulcers, burns, oral wounds, eye wounds, non-cutaneous wounds, ischemia-reperfusion injury, bone and cartilage damage and warfarin-related skin necrosis.  
     
     
         22 . The medicament of  claim 21 , wherein the medicament is for treatment of a dermal ulcer.  
     
     
         23 . The medicament of any one of  claims 16  to  22 , wherein the medicament is for topical administration.  
     
     
         24 . A delivery system incorporating an amount of an agent comprising one or more of; 
 (i) an activated protein C (APC),    (ii) a functional fragment of an APC,    (iii) an APC mimetic compound, and    (iv) protein C,    said delivery system being suitable for application to a wound and thereafter promoting wound healing.    
     
     
         25 . The delivery system of  claim 24 , wherein the agent is human APC.  
     
     
         26 . The delivery system of  claim 24 , wherein the agent is human protein C.  
     
     
         27 . The delivery system of  claim 24  or  26 , further comprising an activator for the protein C.  
     
     
         28 . The delivery system of  claim 27 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of thrombin, kallikrein and/or thrombomodulin.  
     
     
         29 . The delivery system of any one of  claims 24  to  28 , wherein the delivery system is a gel, sponge, gauze or mesh.  
     
     
         30 . The use of an agent comprising one or more of; 
 (i) an activated protein C (APC),    (ii) a functional fragment of an APC,    (iii) an APC mimetic compound, and    (iv) protein C,    for the preparation of a medicament for promoting wound healing in a subject.    
     
     
         31 . The use of  claim 30 , wherein the agent is human APC.  
     
     
         32 . The use of  claim 30 , wherein the agent is human protein C.  
     
     
         33 . The use of  claim 32 , wherein the medicament further comprises an activator for the protein C.  
     
     
         34 . The use of  claim 33 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of thrombin, kallikrein and/or thrombomodulin.  
     
     
         35 . The use of any one of  claims 30  to  34 , wherein the medicament is for treatment of a wound selected from the group consisting of dermal ulcers, burns, oral wounds, eye wounds, non-cutaneous wounds, ischemia-reperfusion injury, bone and cartilage damage and warfarin-related skin necrosis.  
     
     
         36 . The use of  claim 35 , wherein the medicament is for treatment of a dermal ulcer.  
     
     
         37 . The use of any one of  claims 30  to  36 , wherein the medicament is for topical administration.  
     
     
         38 . The use of an agent comprising one or more of; 
 (i) an activated protein C (APC),    (ii) a functional fragment of an APC,    (iii) an APC mimetic compound, and    (iv) protein C,    for the preparation of a delivery system, said delivery system being suitable for application to a wound and thereafter promoting wound healing.    
     
     
         39 . The use of  claim 38 , wherein the agent is human APC.  
     
     
         40 . The use of  claim 38 , wherein the agent is human protein C.  
     
     
         41 . The use of  claim 40 , wherein the delivery system further comprises an activator for the protein C.  
     
     
         42 . The use of  claim 40 , wherein the activator is selected from the group consisting of thrombin, kallikrein and/or thrombomodulin.  
     
     
         43 . The use of any one of  claims 38  to  42 , wherein the delivery system is a gel, sponge, gauze or mesh.