Treatment of Inflammation with Certain Alpha-7 Nicotinic Acid Receptor Agonists in Combination with Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

1 . A method for treating inflammation comprising administering to a patient (R)-7-chloro-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or (R)-7-(2-methoxyphenyl)-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

2 . A method for treating inflammation comprising administering to a patient a compound of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor

in which

R 1 represents 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl,

R 2 represents hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl,

R 3 represents hydrogen, halogen or C1-C6-alkyl,

A represents oxygen or sulfur, and

Z represents halogen, formyl, carbamoyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, nitro, amino, formamido, acetamido, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkyoxy, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, heteroaryl-carbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, C1-C4-alkylsulfonylamino, di(arylsulfonyl)amino, C3-C6-cycloalkylcarbonylmethyl, amino(hydroxyimino)methyl, —O—C6 aryl optionally substituted with methyl, or C6 aryl optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from: halogen, cyano, methyl, —OCH 3 , —CF 3 , —OCF 3 .

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein R 2 is hydrogen, R 3 is hydrogen, A is sulfur, and Z represents halogen, formyl, carbamoyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, nitro, amino, formamido, acetamido, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, heteroaryl-carbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, C1-C4-alkylsulfonylamino, di(arylsulfonyl)amino, C3-C6-cycloalkylcarbonylmethyl or amino(hydroxyimino)methyl.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein Z is selected from: halogen, cyano, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, methyl, ethyl, methoxy, and ethoxy.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflammation is sepsis or associated with appendicitis, ulcer, peritonitis, pancreatitis, acute or ischemic colitis, diverticulitis, hepatitis, Crohn's disease, enteritis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, sepsis, septicemia, endotoxic shock, cachexia, urethritis, bronchitis, emphysema, rhinitis, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, synovitis, myasthenia gravis, thryoiditis, systemic lupus erythematosus, allograft rejection, or graft-versus-host disease.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor is selected from tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine.

7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising treating the patient with (R)-7-chloro-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide hydrochloride and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

8 . The method of claim 1 , comprising treating the patient with (R)-7-(2-methoxyphenyl)-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the (R)-7-chloro-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide hydrochloride is crystalline Form I.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the (R)-7-chloro-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or (R)-7-(2-methoxyphenyl)-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered at a daily dosage selected from: 16 mg, 15 mg, 14 mg, 13 mg, 12 mg, 11 mg, 10 mg, 9 mg, 8.5 mg, 8.0 mg, 7.5 mg, 7 mg, 6.5 mg, 6 mg, 5.5 mg, 5 mg, 4.5 mg, 4 mg, 3 mg, 2.75 mg, 2.50 mg, 2.25 mg, 2 mg, 1.75 mg, 1.50 mg, 1.25 mg, 1 mg, 0.75 mg, 0.5 mg, 0.3 mg 13.

11 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising (R)-7-chloro-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or (R)-7-(2-methoxyphenyl)-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

12 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 11 wherein acetylcholinesterase inhibitor is selected from tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine.