USE OF gp130 ACTIVATORS IN DIABETIC NEUROPATHY

Abstract

The invention relates to the use a substance signaling through gp130 for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of diabetic neuropathy. The use of IL-6 is preferred.

1 . A method for treating diabetic neuropathy, comprising causing an effective amount of a substance signalling through gp130 to enter the system of a patient in need thereof, wherein said substance is:
 a) interleukin-6 (IL-6);   b) a fragment of a) which binds to gp80 and initiates signaling through gp130;   c) a variant of a) or b) which has at least 90% sequence identity with a) or b) and which initiates signaling through gp130;   d) a salt, fused protein or functional derivative of a), b), or c) which initiates signaling through gp130.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising a fused protein that is an immunoglobulin (Ig) fusion. 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said causing step comprises administering to said patient a vector for inducing and/or enhancing the endogenous production of said substance in a cell. 
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said causing step comprises administering a cell that has been genetically modified to produce said substance. 
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said causing step comprises administering an expression vector comprising the coding sequence of said substance. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising a fused protein that is an IL-6 receptor fusion. 
     
     
         7 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient and, as active ingredient, a unit dose of IL-6 corresponding to a dose selected from the group consisting of 1, 3, 10 and 30 μg/kg. 
     
     
         8 . A pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 7 , wherein said unit dose of IL-6 corresponds to a dose of 1 μg/kg. 
     
     
         19 . A pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 7 , wherein said unit dose of IL-6 corresponds to a dose of 3 μg/kg. 
     
     
         10 . A pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 7 , wherein said unit dose of IL-6 corresponds to a dose of 10 μg/kg. 
     
     
         11 . A pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 7 , wherein said unit dose of IL-6 corresponds to a dose of 35 μg/kg. 
     
     
         12 . A method for treating diabetic neuropathy, comprising causing an effective amount of a substance signalling through gp130 to enter the system of a patient in need thereof, wherein said substance is
 a) an IL-6R/IL-6 chimera;   b) a fragment of a) which binds to and initiates signaling through gp130;   c) a variant of a) or b) which has at least 70% sequence identity with a) or b) and which initiates signaling through gp130;   d) a variant of a) or b) which is encoded by a DNA sequence which hybridizes to the complement of the DNA sequence encoding a) or b) under moderately stringent conditions and which initiates signaling through gp130; or   e) salt, fused protein or functional derivative of a), b), c) or d) which initiates signaling through gp130.