Pharmaceutical composition for treatment of the pulmonary form of altitude sickness caused by lack of oxygen and reduced air pressure

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of treating and preventing altitude sickness, comprising the steps of: obtaining a peptide, wherein the peptide is 7-20 adjacent amino acids in length and comprises an amino acid sequence having a hexamer TX 1 EX 2 X 3 E, wherein X 1 , X 2 and X 3 can be any natural or unnatural amino acid, and wherein the peptide does not have tumor necrosis factor receptor binding activity, and wherein the peptide is cyclized; and administering to a patient having the pulmonary form of altitude sickness or being at risk of developing the pulmonary form of altitude sickness an effective amount of the peptide.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a peptide, wherein the peptide is 7-20 adjacent amino acids in length and comprises an amino acid sequence having a hexamer TX 1 EX 2 X 3 E, wherein X 1 , X 2  and X 3  can be any natural or unnatural amino acid, and wherein the peptide does not have tumor necrosis factor receptor binding activity, and wherein the peptide is cyclized; and   administering to a patient having the pulmonary form of altitude sickness or being at risk of developing the pulmonary form of altitude sickness an effective amount of the peptide.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is further characterized in that the hexamer is TPEGAE (SEQ ID NO: 2). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide comprises an amino acid sequence, selected from the group consisting of CGQRETPEGAEAKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 1), CGPKDTPEGAELKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 5), CGQKETPEGAEAKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 6), CGQRETPEGAEARPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 7), CGQRETPEGAEAKPC (SEQ ID NO: 8), CQRETPEGAEAKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 9), CGQRETPEGAEAKFWYC (SEQ ID NO: 10), KSPGQRETPEGAEAKPWYE (SEQ ID NO: 11), KGQRETPEGAEAKPWYG (SEQ ID NO: 12), ornithine-GQRETPEGAEAKPWYG (SEQ ID NO: 13), 4-aminobutanoic acid-GQRETPEGAEAKPWYD (SEQ ID NO: 14) and B-alanine-GQRETPEGAEAKPWYE (SEQ ID NO: 15) and fragments of at least 7 amino acids thereof, which fragments have the hexamer TPEGAE (SEQ ID NO: 2). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence CGQRETPEGAEAKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 1). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the peptide is cyclized by a disulphide bridge between the C residues. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is administered to the patient in a pharmaceutical composition together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is water. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is administered in a quantity of 1 μg to 10 g. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is present in liquid form, in a volume of 0.5 ml to 10 ml, prior to said administering. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peptide is formulated as a powder for inhalation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the peptide is administered to the patient in a quantity of 10 μg to 1 g. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the peptide is administered to the patient in a quantity of 1 mg to 100 mg. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the volume is 1 ml to 5 ml. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence CGQRETPEGAEAKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 1). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient has the pulmonary form of altitude sickness, and wherein the pulmonary form of altitude sickness is treated by said administering. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the patient has the pulmonary form of altitude sickness, and wherein the pulmonary form of altitude sickness is treated by said administering. 
     
     
         17 . An emergency pack for a mountaineer at risk of developing the pulmonary form of altitude sickness, comprising:
 a peptide in an amount effective for the therapeutic treatment of the pulmonary form of altitude sickness, wherein the peptide is 7-20 adjacent amino acids in length and comprises an amino acid sequence having a hexamer TX 1 EX 2 X 3 E, wherein X 1 , X 2  and X 3  can be any natural or unnatural amino acid, and wherein the peptide does not have tumor necrosis factor receptor binding activity, and wherein the peptide is cyclized, wherein the peptide is present in a nebulizable powder formulation or in a nebulizable liquid formulation, and further comprising   a powder inhaler or a liquid nebulizer.   
     
     
         18 . The emergency pack of  claim 17 , wherein the peptide is present in a nebulizable powder formulation and wherein the powder inhaler is present. 
     
     
         19 . The emergency pack of  claim 17 , wherein the emergency pack is suitable for use during mountaineering. 
     
     
         20 . The emergency pack of  claim 17 , wherein the emergency pack is suitable for use at high altitudes of more than 2500 meters above sea level. 
     
     
         21 . The emergency pack of  claim 17 , wherein the peptide comprises the amino acid sequence CGQRETPEGAEAKPWYC (SEQ ID NO: 1).