Method of using HIV protease inhibiting compounds

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method for preventing or treating a disease associated with abnormal cell proliferation, or for modulating or controlling apoptosis, wherein the method comprises administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of at least one human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibiting compound, in particular ritonavir, saquinavir, or one of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. The method will thus be especially useful in treating diseases resulting from abnormal cell proliferation such as cancer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for preventing or treating a disease resulting from abnormal cell proliferation, said method comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of at least one human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibiting compound selected from the group consisting of ritonavir, saquinavir and one of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disease is cancer.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said administering to a patient in need of such treatment comprises administering the protease inhibiting compound orally, parenterally or topically in an appropriate form thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said administering to a patient in need of such treatment comprises administering the compound in the form of a medicament containing from 1 to 2,000 mg of said compound.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said administering to a patient in need of such treatment comprises administering the compound in the form of a medicament containing from 100 to 1,500 mg of said compound.  
     
     
         6 . A method for modulating or controlling apoptosis, said method comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of at least one human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibiting compound selected from the group consisting of ritonavir, saquinavir and one of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said method comprises administering the protease inhibiting compound orally, parenterally or topically in an appropriate form thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said method comprises administering the compound in the form of a medicament containing from 1 to 2,000 mg of said compound.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said method comprises administering the compound in the form of a medicament containing from 100 to 1,500 mg of said compound.