Ev576 for use in the treatment of viral infections of the respiratory tract

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of treating and preventing the inflammatory effects of viral infection of the upper and lower respiratory tracts, including infection by SARS coronovirus (SARS), pandemic Influenza A H5N1 (avian influenza) and pandemic influenza A H1N1 (swine 'flu).

1 . A method of treating or preventing the inflammatory effects of viral infection of the respiratory tract comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an agent that:
 a) inhibits the classical complement pathway, the alternative complement pathway and the lectin complement pathway; and/or   b) inhibits eicosanoid activity.   
     
     
         2 . A therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an agent that:
 a) inhibits the classical complement pathway, the alternative complement pathway and the lectin complement pathway; and/or   b) inhibits eicosanoid activity
 for treating or preventing the inflammatory effects of viral infection of the respiratory tract. 
   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent binds complement C5. 
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 3 , wherein the agent inhibits the cleavage of complement C5 by C5 convertase into complement C5a and complement C5b-9 (MAC). 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the agent binds LTB4. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent is derived from a haematophagous arthropod. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 19 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:2 or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 1 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:2 or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein as recited in  claim 7 . 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 53 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:1. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 1 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:1. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal, preferably a human. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the agent is administered in a dose sufficient to bind as much available C5 and/or LTB4 as possible in the subject, more preferably, all available C5. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory effect of viral infection of the respiratory tract is respiratory failure, such as acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome, or the sequelae of respiratory failure, including multi-organ failure. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the viral infection is an infection of the upper or lower respiratory tracts, including pandemic influenza virus, such as influenza A H5N1 (avian influenza) and influenza A H1N1 (swine 'flu), and SARS coronavirus. 
     
     
         16 . An agent according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent binds complement C5. 
     
     
         17 . An agent according to  claim 16 , wherein the agent inhibits the cleavage of complement C5 by C5 convertase into complement C5a and complement C5b-9 (MAC). 
     
     
         18 . An agent according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent binds LTB4. 
     
     
         19 . An agent according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent is derived from a haematophagous arthropod. 
     
     
         20 . An agent according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 19 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:2, or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         21 . An agent according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 1 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:2, or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein as recited in  claim 8 . 
     
     
         23 . An agent according to  claim 20 , wherein the agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein as recited in  claim 20 . 
     
     
         24 . An agent according to  claim 21 , wherein the agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein as recited in  claim 21 . 
     
     
         25 . An agent according to  claim 23 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 53 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:1. 
     
     
         26 . An agent according to  claim 25 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 1 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in SEQ. ID. NO:1.