Pretreatment of Post Exposure Treatment for Exposure to a Toxic Substance by Pulmonary Delivery (Inhaler) of a Bioscavenger

Abstract

The present invention relates to a treatment by pulmonary delivery of a bioscavenger to animals as an effective antidote to prevent toxicity produced by exposure of an animal to nerve agents and other toxic substances.

1 . A method of detoxifying or neutralizing a neurotoxin or a drug comprising administering by inhalation by an animal or a human, a bioscavenger that prevents or eliminates the toxic effects of said neurotoxin or said drug in said animal or said human. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering is prior to exposure of said animal or said human to said neurotoxin or said drug. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering is after said animal or said human is exposed to said neurotoxin or said drug. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said neurotoxin is an organophosphate selected from the group consisting of a nerve agent and a pesticide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said bioscavenger comprises an enzyme. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said enzyme is homologous to said animal or said human. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said drug is selected from the group consisting of cocaine, succinylcholine and heroin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said bioscavenger is administered in powder form or in liquid (droplet) form. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said organophosphate is selected from the group consisting of sarin (O-isopropyl-methylphosphonofluoridate), VX (ethyl-S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl-phosphano-thiolate), MEPQ (7-(methylethoxyphosphinyloxy)-1-methylquinolinium iodide), soman (pinacolylmethyl-phosphonofluoridate), DFP (diisopylfluorophosphate paraoxon), malathion and parathion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said bioscavenger is selected from the group consisting of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CaE), paraoxonase, a bacterial organophosphate hydrolase (OPH), a bacterial organophosphorous acid anhydride hydrolase (OPAA) and parathion hydrolase. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said bioscavenger is a native molecule purified from plasma or a recombinant molecule. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said recombinant molecule is produced in a mammalian cell, a plant cell or an insect cell. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said recombinant molecule is glycosylated as in the native form of the molecule. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said recombinant molecule is made in a transgenic plant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering with said bioscavenger a permeation enhancer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said permeation enhancer is selected from the group consisting of oleic acid, dimethyl-b-cyclodextrin, and citric acid and polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising administering an oxime that reactivates said bioscavenger after exposure to said neurotoxin or said drug. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said oxime is selected from the group consisting of 2-PAM, H16, toxogonin and TMB4. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising administering a permeation enhancer.