Anionic Polymers as Toxin Binders and Antibacterial Agents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting a toxin in an animal, such as a human, by administering to the animal a therapeutically effective amount of a polymer having a plurality of pendant acid functional groups which are directly attached to the polymer backbone or attached to the polymer backbone by a spacer group. The spacer group can have a length in the range from 0 to about 20 atoms. The toxin is, typically, an exotoxin secreted by a pathogenic microorganism, such as a bacterium.

1 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . A tablet comprising
 a. a polystyrene sulfonate polymer and   b. one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, diluents or excipients.   
   
   
       3 . The tablet of  claim 2  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate is uncrosslinked. 
   
   
       4 . The tablet of  claim 2  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is soluble. 
   
   
       5 . The tablet of  claim 2  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer has a molecular weight of about 400,000 to 1 million Daltons. 
   
   
       6 . The tablet of  claim 2  or  claim 5  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer has a molecular weight of about 600,000 Daltons. 
   
   
       7 . The tablet of  claim 2  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is in a protonated form, deprotonated form or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The tablet of  claim 2  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is in the deprotonated form in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable cation, such as sodium or an alkaline earth ion. 
   
   
       9 . The tablet of  claim 2  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is sodium polystyrene sulfonate. 
   
   
       10 . The tablet of  claim 2  further comprising an antibiotic. 
   
   
       11 . The tablet of  claim 10  wherein said antibiotic is vancomycin or metronidazole. 
   
   
       12 . A capsule comprising
 a. a polystyrene sulfonate polymer and   b. one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, diluents or excipients.   
   
   
       13 . The capsule of  claim 12  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate is uncrosslinked. 
   
   
       14 . The capsule of  claim 12  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is soluble.) 
   
   
       15 . The capsule of  claim 12  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer has a molecular weight of about 400,000 to 1 million Daltons. 
   
   
       16 . The capsule of  claim 12  or  claim 15  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer has a molecular weight of about 600,000 Daltons 
   
   
       17 . The capsule of  claim 12  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is in a protonated form, deprotonated form or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The capsule of  claim 12  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is in the deprotonated form in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable cation, such as sodium or an alkaline earth ion. 
   
   
       19 . The capsule of  claim 12  wherein said polystyrene sulfonate polymer is sodium polystyrene sulfonate. 
   
   
       20 . The capsule of  claim 12  further comprising an antibiotic. 
   
   
       21 . The capsule of  claim 20  wherein said antibiotic is vancomycin or metronidazole.