Ophthalmic composition including a neurotrophic factor for treating optic nerve function disorders and method for treating optic nerve function disorders

Abstract

According to the present invention, an ophthalmic composition which comprises a neurotrophic factor, an optic nerve functional disorder-treating agent which comprises a neurotrophic factor, and a method for treating an optic nerve functional disorder, which comprises administering an effective amount of a neurotrophic factor, particularly a glaucoma-treating agent and a method for treating the same are provided.

1 . An ophthalmic composition which comprises a neurotrophic factor.  
     
     
         2 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 1   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is one or two or more selected from a nerve growth factor (NGF), a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5), neurotrophin-6 (NT-6), a gliacyte-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), an axogenesis factor (AF-1) and a glia growth factor (GGF2).  
     
     
         3 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 2   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is one or two or more selected from NGF, BDNF, CNTF, NT-3, NT-4/5 and NT-6.  
     
     
         4 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 3   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is BDNF.  
     
     
         5 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 1    to    4   , wherein the composition is an ophthalmic agent for external application.  
     
     
         6 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 5   , wherein the ophthalmic agent for external application is an ophthalmic solution or an ophthalmic ointment.  
     
     
         7 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 6   , wherein the composition contains an isotonicity-imparting agent.  
     
     
         8 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 7   , wherein the concentration of the isotonicity-imparting agent is 0.6 to 2.0 in terms of an osmotic pressure ratio.  
     
     
         9 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 6    to    8   , wherein the composition contains a viscosity-imparting agent.  
     
     
         10 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 9   , wherein the concentration of the viscosity-imparting agent is 0.001% to 10% (W/V).  
     
     
         11 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 6    to    8    and    10   , wherein the composition contains a suspending agent.  
     
     
         12 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 11   , wherein the concentration of the suspending agent is 0.001 % to 10% (W/V).  
     
     
         13 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 6    to    8   ,    10    and  12 , wherein the composition contains an emulsifier.  
     
     
         14 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 13   , wherein the concentration of the emulsifier is 0.001% to 10% (W/V).  
     
     
         15 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claims 6    to    8   ,    10   ,  12  and  14 , wherein the composition contains a preservative.  
     
     
         16 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 15   , wherein the concentration of the preservative is 0.0001% to 10% (W/v).  
     
     
         17 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 6    to    8   ,    10   ,  12 ,  14  and  16 , wherein the composition contains a pH adjuster.  
     
     
         18 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 17   , wherein the composition contains a pH adjuster necessary for retaining pH at 3.0 to 8.0.  
     
     
         19 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 1    to    4   ,    6    to  8 ,  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18 , wherein the concentration of the neurotrophic factor is 0.0001 to 0.5% (W/V).  
     
     
         20 . The ophthalmic composition according to any one of    claims 1    to    4   ,    6    to  8 ,  10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18 , wherein the concentration of the neurotrophic factor is 10 −3  to 2×10 5  μg/l.  
     
     
         21 . The ophthalmic composition according to    claim 19    or    20   , wherein the composition is formulated into a contact lens.  
     
     
         22 . An optic nerve functional disorder-treating agent which comprises a neurotrophic factor.  
     
     
         23 . The treatment agent according to    claim 22   , wherein the optic nerve functional disorder is glaucoma.  
     
     
         24 . The treatment agent according to    claim 23   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is one or two or more selected from a nerve growth factor (NGF), a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5), neurotrophin-6 (NT-6), a gliacyte-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), an axogenesis factor (AF-1) and a glia growth factor (GGF2).  
     
     
         25 . The treatment agent according to    claim 24   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is one or two or more selected from NGF, BDNF, CNTF, NT-3, NT-4/5 and NT-6.  
     
     
         26 . The treatment agent according to    claim 25   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is BDNF.  
     
     
         27 . The treatment agent according to any one of    claims 23    to    26   , wherein the treatment agent is an ophthalmic agent for external application.  
     
     
         28 . The treatment agent according to    claim 27   , wherein the ophthalmic agent for external application is an ophthalmic solution or an ophthalmic ointment.  
     
     
         29 . The glaucoma-treating agent according to any one of    claims 23    to    26    and    28   , wherein the treatment agent is formulated into a contact lens.  
     
     
         30 . A method for treating an optic nerve functional disorder, which comprises administering an effective amount of a neurotrophic factor.  
     
     
         31 . The treatment method according to    claim 30   , wherein the optic nerve functional disorder is glaucoma.  
     
     
         32 . The treatment method according to    claim 30   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is one or two or more selected from a nerve growth factor (NGF), a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5), neurotrophin-6 (NT-6), a gliacyte-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), an axogenesis factor (AF-1) and a glia growth factor (GGF2).  
     
     
         33 . The treatment method according to    claim 32   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is one or two or more selected from NGF, BDNF, CNTF, NT-3, NT-4/5 and NT-6.  
     
     
         34 . The treatment method according to    claim 33   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is BDNF.  
     
     
         35 . The treatment method according to any one of    claims 30    to    34   , wherein the neurotrophic factor is used in the form of an ophthalmic agent for external application.  
     
     
         36 . The treatment method according to    claim 35   , wherein the ophthalmic agent for external application is used in the form of an ophthalmic solution or an ophthalmic ointment.  
     
     
         37 . The treatment method according to any one of    claims 30    to    34    and    36   , wherein a contact lens into which a medicine is formulated is used.