Methods for inhibiting the progression of neurodegenerative diseases
Disclosed are methods for inhibiting the progression of neurodegenerative disease. The methods include administering to a patient suffering from such a disease a composition comprising either deuterated arachidonic acid or an ester thereof.
1 . A method for reducing disease progression of a neurodegenerative disease treatable with a deuterated arachidonic acid in an adult patient, the method comprising:
administering a deuterated arachidonic acid or an ester thereof to the patient with a dosing regimen that comprises a primer dose and a maintenance dose, wherein:
a) the primer dose comprises periodic administration of a deuterated arachidonic acid or an ester thereof, wherein the primer dose is continued for about 30 days to about 45 days to rapidly achieve a therapeutic concentration of the deuterated arachidonic acid in vivo; and
b) subsequent to completion of the primer dose, periodically administering the maintenance dose of no more than about 65% of the primer dose of deuterated arachidonic acid or an ester thereof per day thereof to maintain the therapeutic concentration of the deuterated arachidonic acid in vivo, such that disease progression is reduced,
wherein the neurodegenerative disease is mediated at least in part by lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in neurons of the patient.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's Disease, progressive supernuclear palsy (PSP), Friedreich's ataxia, APO-e4 Alzheimer's Disease, corticobasal disorder (CBD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA), other tauopathies, or late onset Tay-Sachs.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the periodic administration of the primer dose comprises administration of at least about 0.05 grams of deuterated arachidonic acid or an ester thereof per day for at least 5 days per week.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the deuterated arachidonic acid or an ester thereof comprises a C 1 -C 6 alkyl ester of a deuterated arachidonic acid.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the maintenance dose comprises no more than 55% of the primer dose.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the maintenance dose comprises no more than 35% of the primer dose and is administered at least once a week.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the maintenance dose is administered at least once a month.
8 . The method of claim 1 , which further comprises restricting consumption of excessive dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids by the patient during administration of the primer and the maintenance doses.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the primer dose and/or the maintenance dose is provided in 1, 2, or 3 administrations during a single day.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the neurodegenerative disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's Disease, progressive supernuclear palsy (PSP), Friedreich's ataxia, or APO-e4 Alzheimer's Disease.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the neurodegenerative disease is APO e-4 variant of Alzheimer's Disease.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the neurodegenerative disease is PSP.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the neurodegenerative disease is Huntington's Disease.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the neurodegenerative disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the neurodegenerative disease is Friedreich's ataxia.