Medicament for preventing and/or treating peripheral neuropathies

Abstract

This invention disclosed the use of acetyl L-carnitine or of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for the preparation of a medicament for preventing and/or treating peripheral neuropathies induced by the administration of a peripheral neuropathy—inducing anticancer agent. In particular said anticancer agent is selected from the group consisting of the family of platin compounds, taxanes, epothilone class and vinca alkaloids, farnesyl transferase inhibitors, thalidomide, 5-fluorouracil, cryptophycin analogues, proteasome inhibitors. Said medicament can be administered in a co-ordinated manner to a subject suffering from said peripheral neuropathies, or expected to suffer from said peripheral neuropathies. Beneficial effects on the patient's quality of life are achieved and an improvement of therapeutic index of the anticancer agent is obtained.

1 . A method of preventing and/or treating peripheral neuropathies induced by the administration of a peripheral neuropathy-inducing anticancer agent, with the proviso that said anticancer agent is not taxol or cisplatin comprising administering to a subject acetyl L-carnitine or of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and said anticancer agent. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said anticancer agent and said acetyl L-carnitine or of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are administered in a co-ordinated manner. 
     
     
         3 . The according to  claim 1 , wherein said peripheral neuropathy-inducing anticancer agent is selected from the group consisting of platin compounds, taxanes, epothilone class, vinca alkaloids, farnesyl transferase inhibitors, thalidomide, 5-fluorouracil, cryptophycin analogues, and proteasome inhibitors. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein said anticancer agent is selected from the group consisting of Carboplatin, Oxaliplatin, Docetaxel, Epothilone, Vinorelbine, Vincristine, the farnesyl transferase inhibitor R11577, thalidomide, the cryptophycin analogue LY355703, and the proteasome inhibitor PS341. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said administration is substantially simultaneous with the anticancer agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said administration of said anticancer agent and said acetyl L-carnitine is sequential. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said administration is in the form of a composition comprising said acetyl L-carnitine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination and in a mixture with said anticancer agent in addition to optional pharmaceutically acceptable excipients and/or vehicles. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein 0.1 to 3 g/day of acetyl L-carnitine or of an equivalent amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are administered. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said pharmacologically acceptable salt of acetyl L-carnitine is selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, orotate, acid aspartate, acid citrate, acid phosphate, fumarate and acid fumarate, maleate and acid maleate, acid oxalate, acid sulphate, glucose phosphate, tartrate and acid tartrate. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said acetyl L-carnitine is administered to a subject in view of the need of a treatment with said anticancer agent. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said anticancer agent and said acetyl L-carnitine are administered immediately before or immediately after surgical removal of the tumor. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said anticancer agent is alternative to surgical removal of the tumor. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a further carnitine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a further anticancer agent is administered. 
     
     
         15 .- 27 . (canceled)