Methods for Treating Diabetic Wounds

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of treating chronic wounds using calreticulin. In particular, the invention relates to the treatment of chronic diabetic wounds using topical application of calreticulin to a patient in need of such treatment.

1 . A method for treating a chronic wound of a patient, which method comprises administering to the wound a therapeutically effective amount of calreticulin. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chronic wound is a chronic diabetic wound. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the calreticulin is administered topically to the wound of the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the chronic diabetic wound is a diabetic foot ulcer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the calreticulin is administered in an amount between about 0.001 milligram and about 1 gram. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the calreticulin is administered in an amount between about 0.01 milligram and about 50 milligrams. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising administering a cytokine, a growth factor, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the growth factor is selected from the group consisting of: platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, epidelmal growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A method for treating a chronic wound of a patient, which comprises administering to the wound a therapeutically effective amount of a functional fragment of calreticulin. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for inducing monocyte and macrophage migration into a chronic wound of a patient, which method comprises administering to the wound an effective amount of calreticulin. 
     
     
         14 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calreticulin is administered together with hyaluronic acid (HA) or collagen.