Claims for Patent: 7,671,017

Summary for Patent: 7,671,017

Title:	Use of a combination of cyclosporine and pegylated interferon for treating hepatitis C (HCV)
Abstract:	A method of treating a patient having a HCV infection which method comprises administering to said patient a cyclosporin A or a cyclosporin A derivative in association with a conjugate of interferon to a water-soluble polymer in an amount effective to alleviate or eliminate one or more of the signs or symptoms of HCV.
Inventor(s):	Cornu-Artis; Catherine (St.Louis, FR), Vachon; Guylaine (Basel, CH), Uryuhara; Yoko (Kyoto, JP), Asakawa; Kazuo (Koganei, JP), Mertes; Reinhild Elisabeth (Rheinfelden, DE), Yoshiba; Shinsyou (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee:	Novartis AG (Basel, CH)
Application Number:	11/572,110
Patent Claims:	1. A method of treating a patient having a hepatitis C (HCV) infection, comprising administering to said patient a cyclosporin A or a cyclosporin A derivative in association with a conjugate of an interferon to a water-soluble polymer, in combination with ribavirin, wherein the patient has not previously responded to treatment of the HCV infection with an interferon or a pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin. 2. The method according to claim 1. wherein HCV-RNA is measured in a serum sample from the patient following treatment with the cyclosporin A or the cyclosporin A derivative in association with the conjugate of interferon to the water soluble polymer, and wherein said HCV-RNA is detectably lowered. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said patient has chronic HCV. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conjugate of interferon to the water-soluble polymer is a pegylated interferon. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the pegylated interferon is selected from the group consisting of pegylated consensus interferon, pegylated interferon alfa-2a and pegylated interferon alfa-2b. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the pegylated interferon is pegylated interferon alfa-2a or pegylated interferon alfa-2b. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the cyclosporin A is in a microemulsion pre-concentrate. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cyclosporin A is administered in divided doses, two to four doses per day, resulting in a total dosage of about from 2-15 mg/kg/day. 9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the pegylated interferon is administered parenterally one to three times per week. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the duration of treatment is from about 20 weeks to about 100 weeks. 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the patient is infected with HCV genotype 1, 2, or 3. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the HCV is of genotype 1. 13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the HCV is of genotype 2 or 3. 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the patient has undergone a liver transplant before the treatment of HCV. 15. The method according claim 10, wherein the duration of the treatment is from about 24 to about 72 weeks. 16. The method according claim 15, wherein the duration of the treatment is from about 24 to 48 weeks.

Details for Patent 7,671,017

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	For Injection	103132	06/04/1986		2024-07-14
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	For Injection	103132			2024-07-14
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	Injection	103132			2024-07-14
Hoffmann-la Roche Inc.	PEGASYS COPEGUS COMBINATION PACK	peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin		125083	06/04/2004		2024-07-14
Schering Corporation A Subsidiary Of Merck & Co., Inc.	PEGINTRON/ REBETOL COMBO PACK	peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin		125196	06/13/2008		2024-07-14