WOUND HEALING
The present invention relates to the use of p38 MAP kinase inhibitors and p38 MAP kinase inhibition to promote wound healing.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method of promoting wound healing in a patient the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.
3 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.
4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is a direct inhibitor.
5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is an indirect inhibitor.
6 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is lyophilized or incorporated in a gel, cream, biomaterial or sustained release delivery vehicle.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the gel, cream, biomaterial, or sustained release delivery vehicle further comprises an additional wound healing agent, the wound healing agent preferably being selected from the group consisting of: growth factors, peptides, proteolytic inhibitors, extracellular matrix components, fragments and peptides, steroids, cytokines, oxygen donators or vitamins.
8 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein an additional wound healing agent is administered separately, simultaneously or sequentially with the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.
9 . The method according to claim wherein the additional wound healing agent is selected from the group consisting of: growth factors, peptides, proteolytic inhibitors, extracellular matrix components, fragments and peptides, steroids, cytokines, oxygen donators or vitamins.
10 . The method according to claim 2 wherein an additional wound healing agent is administered to the patient.
11 . The method according to claim 10 wherein the additional wound healing agent is administered to the patient in a composition comprising the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor and the additional wound healing agent.
12 . The method according to claim 10 wherein the additional wound healing agent is administered to the patient in a composition which is separate from the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.
13 . (canceled)
14 . (canceled)
15 . (canceled)
16 . (canceled)
17 . The method according to claim 2 wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is provided in the form of a wound dressing.
18 . A wound dressing comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.
19 . (canceled)
20 . The method of claim 2 wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is administered systemically.
21 . (canceled)
22 . (canceled)
23 . (canceled)
24 . (canceled)
25 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 3 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is a direct inhibitor.
26 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 3 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is an indirect inhibitor.
27 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 3 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is lyophilized or incorporated in a gel, cream, biomaterial or sustained release delivery vehicle.
28 . The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 3 , wherein an additional wound healing agent is administered separately, simultaneously or sequentially with the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.
29 . The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 28 , wherein the additional wound healing agent is selected from the group consisting of: growth factors, peptides, proteolytic inhibitors, extracellular matrix components, fragments and peptides, steroids, cytokines, oxygen donators or vitamins.
30 . The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 3 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is provided in the form of a wound dressing.
31 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 27 , wherein the gel, cream, biomaterial or sustained release delivery vehicle includes one of the following carriers: hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, caboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, and hydrogels containing polyacrylic acid.
32 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 3 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is dispersed in a slow release solid matrix selected from the group consisting of a matrix of alginate, a matrix of collagen, and a synthetic bioabsorbable polymer.