Compositions Containing Verteporfin, Ribavirin, Gemcitabine, or Combinations Thereof and Methods of Use for Treating COVID-19, Cancer, or Non Cancer Diseases

Abstract

Disclosed are pharmaceutical formulations and methods using Verteporfin Ribavirin and/or Gemcitabine for use in the treatment of diseases by various routes of administration including inhalation, intratumoral, topical and/or systemic injection administration. This invention relates more specifically to the use of Verteporfin, Ribavirin, Gemcitabine, and/or combinations thereof as an inhaled dry powder treatment for COVID-19 and/or other lung infections, cancer and other non-cancer applications, which may be followed by other treatment regimens including radiation therapy, photodynamic therapy, and/or sonodynamic therapy. These pharmaceutical compositions containing one or more of Verteporfin, Ribavirin, and Gemcitabine may be included in pharmaceutical kits containing the compositions, and to methods for the treatment of cancer and non-cancer diseases with the active agents of the pharmaceutical compositions. The administering of Verteporfin alone or in combination with Ribavirin and Gemcitabine may be followed or co-administered with photodynamic and/or sonodynamic therapy (PDT/SDT).

1 . A method of treating a lung disease in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to a lung of said patient by inhalation an aerosol composition comprising ribavirin, verteporfin, and an excipient. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said lung disease is a viral lung infection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said lung disease is a cancer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising administering another drug or excipient selected from the group consisting of gemcitabine, aminolevulinate, acetylcysteine, high molecular weight hyaluronan, and a perfluorocarbon. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said aerosol composition comprises said another drug or excipient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising treating said patient with radiation therapy, photodynamic therapy, or sonodynamic therapy during or after said administering. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (a) said composition is a dry powder aerosol comprising 0-4% (w/w) water and 1-99% of said ribavirin, verteporfin, and excipient, (b) said dry powder comprises particles with a mean diameter of about 0.1 microns to about 5 microns, and (c) said dry powder is delivered to the lung with a dry powder inhaler. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is a liquid aerosol comprising >50% (w/w) water and <50% of said ribavirin, verteporfin, and excipient, and wherein said liquid aerosol is delivered to the lung with a nebulizer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said virus infection comprises a SARS-CoV2 virus. 
     
     
         10 . A method of treating lung cancer in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to a lung of said patient by inhalation an aerosol composition comprising ribavirin and an excipient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said aerosol composition further comprises verteporfin. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  comprising administering to said lung another drug or excipient selected from the group consisting of gemcitabine, aminolevulinate, acetylcysteine, high molecular weight hyaluronan, and a perfluorocarbon. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising treating said patient with radiation therapy, photodynamic therapy, or sonodynamic therapy during or after said administering. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein (a) said composition is a dry powder aerosol comprising 0-4% (w/w) water and 1-99% of said ribavirin and excipient, (b) said dry powder comprises particles with a mean diameter of about 0.1 microns to about 5 microns, and (c) said dry powder is delivered to the lung with a dry powder inhaler. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said composition is a liquid aerosol comprising >50% (w/w) water and <50% of said ribavirin and excipient, and wherein said liquid aerosol is delivered to the lung with a nebulizer. 
     
     
         16 . A method of treating a SARS-CoV-2 lung infection in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to a lung of said patient by inhalation an aerosol composition comprising ribavirin and an excipient. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  comprising administering to said lung another drug or excipient selected from the group consisting of gemcitabine, aminolevulinate, acetylcysteine, high molecular weight hyaluronan, and a perfluorocarbon. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said aerosol composition comprises said another drug or excipient. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein (a) said composition is a dry powder aerosol comprising 0-4% (w/w) water and 1-99% of said ribavirin and excipient, (b) said dry powder comprises particles with a mean diameter of about 0.1 microns to about 5 microns, and (c) said dry powder is delivered to the lung with a dry powder inhaler. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said composition is a liquid aerosol comprising >50% (w/w) water and <50% of said ribavirin and excipient, and wherein said liquid aerosol is delivered to the lung with a nebulizer.