Reduction of Lipoma Tissue

Abstract

The amount of adipose tissue, including lipomas, at selected locations in the body is reduced by introducing collagenase or collagenase plus another proteinase into the tissue.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for treating lipoma in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising collagenase. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the treatment results in a reduction of lipoma tissue volume of about 25% to about 75% after a single administration of the composition. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the treatment results in a reduction of lipoma tissue volume of about 100% after a single administration of the composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the lipoma is found at a location selected from the group consisting of the surface of the skin, within the skin, subcutaneous, or anywhere else in the subject. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the lipoma is a liposarcoma. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the composition is administered into the lipoma is an amount of about 500 or more ABC units of collagenase per gram of treated tissue. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the composition is administered into the lipoma is an amount of about 3500 or more ABC units of collagenase per gram of treated tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the collagenase is purified by chromatographic techniques. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the collagenase is lyophilized and supplied in vials containing about 2,200 ABC units of collagenase and a sterile diluent. 
     
     
         22 . A method of treating lipoma in a subject in need thereof, comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a vial of lyophilized collagenase comprising about 2,200 ABC units of collagenase;   b. reconstituting the lyophilized collagenase with a diluent comprising about 0.9% sodium chloride and about 2 mM calcium chloride so as to provide a concentration of about 2,000 ABC units per mL; and   c. injecting an effective amount of the reconstituted collagenase into the lipoma.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the effective amount of reconstituted collagenase is about 1,000 ABC units collagenase per centimeter of the diameter of the lipoma. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the lipoma excludes fibrous or multi-lobulated types of lipoma. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of adding a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the composition. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is inert. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is selected from the group consisting of normal saline, aqueous dextran solution, and aqueous hetastarch solution. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is buffered. 
     
     
         29 . A method for treating lipoma in a subject in need thereof comprising the step of administering a collagenase and at least one other proteinase. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the proteinase is selected from the group consisting of the class of cysteine proteinases, the class of serine proteinases, the class of aspartic proteinases, and the class of metallo proteinases. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the collagenase and the at least one other proteinase are administered separately. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the collagenase and the at least one other proteinase are administered in a single solution. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is inert. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is selected from the group consisting of normal saline, aqueous dextran solution, and aqueous hetastarch solution. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is buffered. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the lipoma volume is reduced in an amount of about 25% to about 100% after treatment. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the collagenase is purified by chromatographic techniques.