Formulation for use in the treatment of uremic pruritus

Abstract

There is provided a topical formulation comprising a nucleophile, such as amino acids and most polypetides and/or a derivative thereof, for use in the treatment or prevention of itchy dry skin caused by urea, such as in uremic pruritus, of a subject. The amino acid may be histidine and the derivative may be a histidine degradation product, a peptide of histidine, a peptide of histidine and one or more additional amino acids, and a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt of histidine.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A topical formulation comprising:
 (a) a polyaphron composition; and   (b) at least 0.2 w/w % of a nucleophilic compound.   
     
     
         17 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the nucleophilic compound is a nucleophilic amino acid, a peptide and/or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the nucleophilic compound comprises a nucleophilic amino acid, and the nucleophilic amino acid comprises histidine or a derivative of histadine. 
     
     
         19 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the formulation comprises:
 (a) 0.5 w/w % to 5 w/w % of the nucleophilic compound.   
     
     
         20 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the formulation comprises:
 (a) 2 w/w % to 5 w/w % of the nucleophilic compound.   
     
     
         21 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the formulation comprises:
 (a) 2 w/w % to 15 w/w % of the nucleophilic compound.   
     
     
         22 . The topical formulation according to  claim 17 , wherein the derivative is selected from one or more of a histidine degradation product, a peptide of histidine, a peptide of histidine and one or more additional amino acids, and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of histidine. 
     
     
         23 . The topical formulation according to  claim 18 , wherein the histidine comprises L-histidine. 
     
     
         24 . The topical formulation according to  claim 18 , wherein the histidine and/or the derivative of histidine is the only active ingredient in the pharmaceutical composition. 
     
     
         25 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the formulation further comprises pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, or one or more of the amino acids glycylglycine, cysteine, arginine, and lysine. 
     
     
         26 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein the pyrrolidone carboxylic acid comprises a sodium salt of the pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         27 . The topical formulation according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 (a) the formulation comprises 0.5 mg/cm 2  to 2.5 mg/cm 2  skin surface, when applied to the skin, of histidine and/or a derivative of histidine.