Methods for treating hyperhidrosis

Abstract

Methods for treating hyperhidrosis is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method includes a step of administering a neurotoxin to a skin area to alleviate excessive sweating. In another embodiment, the method employs a needleless injector to affect the administration of a neurotoxin, for example botulinum toxin type A.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for treating hyperhidrosis in a mammal, said method comprising the step of locally administering a drug particle to an affected skin area without using a needle.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the skin comprises an epidermis layer, a dermis layer and a hypodermis layer.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drug particle is administered to a dermis layer of the skin.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drug particle is administered to one or more layers of the skin where a sweat gland and/or a nerve innervating a sweat gland is located.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drug particle is administered to the skin and substantially not to a muscle tissue.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drug particle is administered to a dermis layer of the skin and substantially not to a muscle tissue.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of administering includes using a needleless injector.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the drug particle is administered to a dermis layer of a skin and substantially not to a muscle tissue.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drug particle comprises a neurotoxin.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the neurotoxin comprises: 
 (a) a targeting component;  
 (b) a therapeutic component; and  
 (c) a translocation component.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the targeting component binds to a presynaptic nerve terminal.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the presynaptic nerve terminal belongs to a cholinergic neuron.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the targeting component comprises a carboxyl end segment of a heavy chain of a butyricum toxin, a tetani toxin, a botulimum toxin type A, B, C 1 , D, E, F, G or a variant thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the targeting component comprises a carboxyl end fragment of a heavy chain of a botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the therapeutic component substantially interferes with the release of neurotransmitters from a neuron or its terminals.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the therapeutic component comprises a light chain of a butyricum toxin, a tetani toxin, a botulimum toxin type A, B, C 1 , D, E, F, G or a variant thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the therapeutic component comprises a light chain of a botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the translocation component facilitates the transfer of at least a part of the neurotoxin into the cytoplasm of the target cell.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the translocation component comprises an amino end fragment of a heavy chain of a butyricum toxin, a tetani toxin, a botulimum toxin type A, B, C 1 , D, E, F, G or a variant thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the translocation component comprises an amino end fragment of a heavy chain of a botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the targeting component comprises a carboxyl end fragment of a heavy chain of a botulinum toxin type A, the therapeutic component comprises a light chain of a botulinum toxin type A and the translocation component comprises an amine end fragment of a heavy chain of a botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the neurotoxin is botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the neurotoxin is recombinantly produced.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drug particle comprises a neurotoxin and a carrier, wherein the neurotoxin is coated onto the carrier.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the carrier is a dense material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum and ice crystal.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the neurotoxin comprises a nucleotide sequence.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the nucleotide sequence is SEQ. ID. #1, variants thereof or fragments thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID #2, SEQ. ID. #3, SEQ. ID. #4, SEQ. ID. #5, SEQ. ID. #6, SEQ. ID. #7, SEQ. ID. #8 and SEQ. ID. #9, variants thereof or fragments thereof.  
     
     
         29 . A method for treating hyperhidrosis in a mammal, said method comprising the step of using a needleless injector to locally administer a drug particle comprising a neurotoxin to a dermis layer of an affected area of a skin.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the neurotoxin comprises botulinum toxin type A.