EV576 For Use in the Treatment of Viral Infections of the Respiratory Tract

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of treating and preventing the inflammatory effects of viral infection of the upper and lower respiratory tracts, including infection by SARS coronovirus (SARS), pandemic Influenza A H5N1 (avian influenza) and pandemic influenza A H1N1 (swine ‘flu).

1 . A method of treating or preventing the inflammatory effects of viral infection of the respiratory tract comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an agent that:
 a) inhibits the classical complement pathway, the alternative complement pathway and the lectin complement pathway; and/or   b) inhibits eicosanoid activity,   wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 19 to 168 or amino acids 1 to 168 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or is a functional equivalent of this protein.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the agent binds complement C5. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the agent inhibits the cleavage of complement C5 by C5 convertase into complement C5a and complement C5b-9 (MAC). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent binds LTB4. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is derived from a haematophagous arthropod. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 19 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in  FIG. 2  or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 1 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in  FIG. 2  or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating or preventing the inflammatory effects of viral infection of the respiratory tract comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an agent that:
 a) inhibits the classical complement pathway, the alternative complement pathway and the lectin complement pathway; and/or   b) inhibits eicosanoid activity,   wherein the agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 19 to 168 or amino acids 1 to 168 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or a functional equivalent of this protein.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 53 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in  FIG. 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 1 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in  FIG. 2 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the agent is administered in a dose sufficient to bind as much available C5 and/or LTB4 as possible in the subject. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory effect of viral infection of the respiratory tract is respiratory failure, or the sequelae of respiratory failure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the viral infection is an infection of the upper or lower respiratory tracts. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the agent is administered in a dose sufficient to bind all available C5. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory effect of viral infection of the respiratory tract is acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sequelae of respiratory failure comprise multi-organ failure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the viral infection is a pandemic influenza virus infection or SARS coronavirus infection. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the viral infection is an influenza A H5N1 (avian influenza) or influenza A RINI (swine influenza) infection.