USE OF THIAZOLIDE COMPOUNDS FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF VIRAL DISEASES, CANCER AND DISEASES CAUSED BY INTRACELLULAR INFECTIONS
The invention provides for the use of pharmaceutical compositions comprising a thiazolide in the stimulation of the immune system in a subject in need thereof, thereby preventing and/or treating viral diseases, cancer and diseases caused by intracellular protozoan infections
1 . A method of stimulating an immune response in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a thiazolide compound, wherein the thiazolide compound is nitazoxanide or tizoxanide or RM-4848, or a salt, polymorph, ester, amide, prodrug, or derivative thereof.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject suffers from or is at risk of developing a viral infection, a cancer or an intracellular protozoan infection.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a vaccine.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an immunostimulant.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the immunostimulant is Imiquimod or Resiquimod.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a neuraminidase inhibitor, selected from the group consisting of Laninamivir, Oseltamivir, Zanamivir and Peramivir.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an adamantine analogue.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a recombinant sialidase fusion protein.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein stimulating the immune response results in treatment or prevention of a viral infection in the subject.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the viral infection is influenza infection.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the viral infection is caused by a virus selected from H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7, H1N2, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, and H10N7.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the viral infection is Hepatitis B.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an anti-hepatitis B drug.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a vaccine.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an immunostimulant.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the immunostimulant is Imiquimod or Resiquimod.
17 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an adamantine analogue.
18 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a recombinant sialidase fusion protein.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein stimulating the immune response results in treatment or prevention of a cancer in the subject.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the cancer is leukemia.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the leukemia is hairy cell leukemia or chronic myeloid leukemia.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the cancer is melanoma.
23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the cancer is non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the cancer is renal cell carcinoma.
25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a vaccine.
26 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an immunostimulant.
27 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an anticancer drug.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the anticancer drug is selected from the group consisting of STI571, CGP 74588, 1-β-D-Arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C), doxorbicin, dacarbazine, cisplatin, bleomycin, vincristine, lomustine, vinblastine, carmustine, DTIC, tamoxifen, sunitinib, sorafenib and interferon-α.
29 . The method of claim 1 , wherein stimulating the immune response results in treatment or prevention of an intracellular protozoan infection in the subject.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the intracellular protozoan infection is selected from the group consisting of Cryptosporidium spp., Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Trypanosoma cruzii.
31 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with a vaccine, or an immunostimulant, or an antiprotozoal drug.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the thiazolide compound is administered in combination with an antiprotozoal drug selected from the group consisting of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, atovaquone, clindamycin, pyrimethamine, spiramycin, diminazine, homidium, suramin, melarsamine, sodium stibogluconate and meglumine antimoniate.
33 . The method of claim 29 , wherein stimulating the immune response results in treatment or prevention of an intracellular bacterial infection.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the intracellular bacterial infection is Mycobacterium tuberculosis.