Pharmaceutical combinations based on pyridoindolone derivatives and anticancer agents

1. A method for treating a disease caused or exacerbated by the proliferation of tumor cells which comprises administering to a patient having said disease and in need of such treatment an effective amount of at least one compound of formula:

in which:

R 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group;

R 2 represents a methyl or ethyl group; or

R 1 and R 2 together form a (CH 2 ) 3 group;

r 3 represents either a phenyl group optionally substituted with a halogen atom or a methyl or methoxy group, or a thienyl group;

R 4 represents a hydrogen or chlorine atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or solvate thereof;

in combination with one or more anticancer active principle(s) selected from alkylating agents, alkyl sulfonates, dacarbazine, procarbazine, nitrogen mustards, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, nitrosoureas, antineoplastic alkaloids, taxanes, antineoplastic antibiotics, intercalating agents, antineoplastic antimetabolites, folate antagonists, methotrexate, mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, aromatase inhibitors, capecitabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, cytarabine, cytosine arabinoside, brequinar, tamoxifen, kinase inhibitors, imatinib; growth factor inhibitors, antiinflammatory agents which can be used in the treatment of cancer, anti-topoisomerases, antracyclines, anticancer metallic complexes, platinum complexes, alpha-interferon, triphenylthio-phosphoramide, altretamine; anti-angiogenic agents, and immunotherapy adjuvants;

wherein said disease is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer; lung cancer; cancer of the small intestine; cancer of the colon; cancer of the rectum; cancer of the respiratory pathways; cancer of the oropharynx; cancer of the hypopharynx; cancer of the esophagus; liver cancer; stomach cancer; cancer of the bile ducts; cancer of the bile vesicle; cancer of the pancreas; cancers of the urinary pathways; cancer of the bladder; cancers of the female genital tract; cancers of the male genital tract; cancers of the endocrine glands; skin cancers; tumors of the brain, tumors of the nerves, tumors of the eyes, tumors of the meninges; and tumors arising from hematopoietic malignant tumors.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 which comprises administering at least one compound of formula:

in which:

R 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group;

R 2 represents a methyl or ethyl group; or

R 1 and R 2 together form a (CH 2 ) 3 group;

R 3 represents a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

R 4 represents a hydrogen or chlorine atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or solvate thereof.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 which comprises administering at least one compound of formula:

in which:

R 1 represents a hycwogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group;

R 2 represents a methyl or ethyl group;

R 3 represents a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

R 4 represents a hydrogen or chlorine atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or solvate thereof.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the compound of formula (I) is:

6-chloro-1,9-dimethyl-3-phenyl-1,9-dihydro-2H-pyrido[2,3-b]indol-2-one;

3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,9-dimethyl-1,9-dihydro-2H-pyrido[2,3-b]indol-2-one;

1,6,9-trimethyl-3-(3-thienyl)-1,9-dihydro-2H-pyrido [2,3-b]indol-2-one;

1,6,9-trimethyl-3-phenyl-1,9-dihydro-2H-pyrido[2,3-b]indol-2-one; or

1,6-dimethyl-3-phenyl-1,9-dihydro-2H-pyrido[2,3-b]indol-2-one;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or solvate thereof.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 which comprises administering at least one compound of formula:

in which:

R 1 represents a methyl or ethyl group;

R 2 represents a methyl or ethyl group;

R 3 represents a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

R 4 represents a hydrogen or chlorine atom or a methyl or methoxy group;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or solvate thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the compound of formula (I) and the one or more anticancer active principle(s) are administered simultaneously, sequentially, or separately over time.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, lung cancer, cancer of the colon, cancers of the male genital tract, skin cancers, and tumors of the brain.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more anticancer active principle(s) is selected from busulfan, dacarbazine, procarbazine, chlormethine, melphalan, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, carmustine, lomustine, semustine, streptozocin, vincristine, vinblastine, paclitaxel, actinomycin, methotrexate, mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, capecitabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, cytarabine, cytosine arabinoside, brequinar, tamoxifen, imatinib, pentosane polysulfate, prednisone, dexamethasone, etoposide, doxorubicin, bleomycin, mitomycin, methramycin, cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin, alpha-interferon, triphenylthiophosphoramide, and altretamine.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more anticancer active principle(s) is selected from antineoplastic alkaloids and platinum complexes.