Interferon-beta and/or lambda for use in treating rhinovirus infection in the elderly

Abstract

Use of interferon-beta (IFN-β) and/or IFN-λ for treating rhinovirus (RV) infection in elderly people, particularly elderly people who are, or have been long-term smokers, especially those who have a clinical history of recurrent RV infections, and may have other medical conditions, such as cardiac or circulation problems, and who are liable to suffer severe complications/high mortality from poor innate ability to fight such a viral infection.

1 . A method of treating a respiratory tract infection in a non-asthmatic/non-COPD human individual, which comprises airway delivery of an agent selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) IFN-β;   (ii) an agent that increase IFN-β expression; and   (iii) a polynucleotide that express one or more agents as in (i) or (ii) in human bronchial epithelial cells.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respiratory tract infection is a rhinovirus (RV) infection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the human individual is age 40 plus. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the IFN-β is a recombinant protein selected from the group consisting of IFN-β 1a, IFN-β 1b, Betaseron®, Betaferon®, Avonex®, Rebif®. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent is poly(inosinic acid)-poly(cytidylic acid) or an ACE inhibitor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the ACE inhibitor is perindopril. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said individual is, or has been, a smoker such that cultured bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) derived from said individual exhibit increased cytotoxicity in response to RV infection compared with identically cultured BECS from non-smoker age-matched controls. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said individual is age at least 60 to 65. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said individual is age at least 65 to 70. 
     
     
         10 . A method of treating rhinovirus (RV) infection in a non-asthmatic/non-COPD human individual of age 40 plus, comprising airway delivery of IFN-β or a polynucleotide that expresses IFN-β in human bronchial epithelial cells. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the IFN-β is a recombinant protein is selected from the group consisting of IFN-β 1a, IFN-β 1b, Betaseron®, Betaferon®, Avonex®, Rebif®. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said individual is, or has been, a smoker such that cultured bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) derived from said individual exhibit increased cytotoxicity in response to RV infection compared with identically cultured BECS from non-smoker age-matched controls. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said individual is age at least 60 to 65. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said individual is age at least 65 to 70. 
     
     
         15 . A method of treating rhinovirus (RV) infection in a non-asthmatic/non-COPD human individual of age 40 plus, comprising airway delivery of an agent that increases IFN-β expression or a polynucleotide that expresses the agent in human bronchial epithelial cells. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the agent is poly(inosinic acid)-poly(cytidylic acid) or an ACE inhibitor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ACE inhibitor is perindopril. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said individual is, or has been, a smoker such that cultured bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) derived from said individual exhibit increased cytotoxicity in response to RV infection compared with identically cultured BECS from non-smoker age-matched controls. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said individual is age at least 60 to 65. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said individual is age at least 65 to 70.