Use of α-glucosidase inhibitors to treat alphavirus infections
View Patent ↗The present invention provides methods for treating a flavivirus infection, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, in an individual suffering from a flavivirus infection. In some embodiments, the methods involve administering to an individual in need thereof an effective amount of an agent that inhibits enzymatic activity of a membrane-bound α-glucosidase inhibitor. In other embodiments, the methods involve administering to an individual in need thereof effective amounts of an α-glucosidase inhibitor and at least one additional therapeutic agent.
1. A method of treating a flavivirus infection in an individual, the method comprising administering to an individual in need thereof an effective amount of an agent that inhibits enzymatic activity of a membrane-bound α-glucosidase, wherein the agent is miglitol.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the agent inhibits the p7 protein of hepatitis C virus.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the α-glucosidase inhibitor is administered at a dose of about 10 mg to about 30 mg per day.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the α-glucosidase inhibitor is administered at a dose of about 30 mg to about 60 mg per day.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the α-glucosidase inhibitor is administered at a dose of about 10 mg three times daily; about 15 mg three times daily; or about 20 mg three times daily.
6. A method of treating a flavivirus infection in an individual, the method comprising administering to an individual in need thereof effective amounts of an α-glucosidase inhibitor and an additional therapeutic agent, wherein the α-glucosidase inhibitor is miglitol, and wherein the additional therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of an interferon-α (IFN-α), an interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and a nucleoside analog.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the IFN-α is interferon alfacon-1.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the IFN-α is pegylated.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pegylated IFN-α is selected from peginterferon alfa-2a, peginterferon alfa-2b, and monoPEG (30 kD, linear)-ylated consensus IFN-α.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the IFN-α is hyperglycosylated.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the IFN-γ is interferon gamma-1b.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the IFN-γ is pegylated.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the IFN-γ is hyperglycosylated.
14. The method of claim 6 , wherein the nucleoside analog is selected from viramidine, ribavirin, and levovirin.
15. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 - 10 , 11 - 13 or 14 , wherein the individual is a human.