Nitric Oxide, and Nitric Oxide Donors, as a Therapy for the Common Cold and for Virally-Induced Asthma Attacks

The common cold is the most frequently experienced acute respiratory illness in humans. The majority of colds are due to infection with rhinoviruses. Recent evidence has also shown that upper respiratory viral infections are responsible for over 80% of the acute asthma attacks. The theory being tested is that rhinoviruses trigger the production of inflammatory mediators, which affect the surrounding tissues to produce the characteristic symptoms of a cold. The purpose of this invention is to use nitric oxide to inhibit both rhinovirus replication and early biochemical events that occur during rhinovirus infection. Advantages of this approach include: (1) the ability of NO to inhibit both rhinovirus production and inflammatory cytokine production, (2) NO affects all known rhinoviruses, (3) NO can inhibit cytokine production even when administered post infection, and (4) NO and NO donors represent a novel pharmacologic treatment for the common cold. Patent (Set) 6,277,891; WO 99/02148

Patents:
US 6,277,891

Inventor(s): Proud, David

Type of Offer: Licensing



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