Methods and compounds for the treatment or prevention of severe influenza

1. A method of treating symptoms of severe influenza in a human patient in need thereof; wherein the patient has exhibited one or more symptoms of influenza infection for more than two days, and (a) has at least one symptom from the group of symptoms that consists of tachypnoea, hypoxemia, cardiopulmonary insufficiency and radiological pulmonary infiltrates, (b) requires hospitalization, or (c) has at least one symptom from the group of symptoms and requires hospitalization; wherein the method comprises administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor; wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory mediators from endothelial cells and inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from immune cells; and wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is selected from 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-4-(fluorophenyl)-5-pyridin-4-yl-1,2-dihydropyrazol-3-one; 4-[4-(4-Fluorophenyl)-1-(3-phenylpropyl)-5-(4-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3-butyn-1-ol; (2R)-2-[[(2R)-2-amino-5-(diaminomethylideneamino)pentanoyl]aminol]-N-[(2R)-1-[[(2R)-1-[[(2R)-1-[[(2R)-1-[[(2R)-1-[[(2R)-1-[[2(2R)-1-amino-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-oxopropan-2-yl]amino]-2-oxoethyl]amino]-1-oxohexan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxohexan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxohexan-2-yl]amino]-5-(diaminomethylideneamino)-1-oxopentan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxohexan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxohexan-2-yl]hexanamide; 2-[6-chloro-5-[(2R,5S)-4-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-2,5-dimethylpiperazine-1-carbonyl]-1-methylindol-3-yl]-N,N-dimethyl-2-oxoacetamide; 6-[(6R)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl]-2-(2-methylphenyflpyridazin-3-one; 4-[3-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-pyridin-4-ylimidazol-1-yl]propyl]morpholine, 4-[5-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-piperidin-4-ylimidazol-4-yl]pyrimidin-2-amine; 4-[5-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-piperidin-4-ylimidazol-4-yl]pyridine; 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]pyridine; 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(2-methoxypyrimidin-4-yl)imidazol-1-yl]cyclohexan-1-ol; 4-[5-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-piperidin-4-ylimidazol-4-yl]-2-methoxypyrimidine; 6-(N-carbamoyl-2,6-difluoroanilino)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridine-3-carboxamide; 5-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)sulfanylpyrimidol[1,6-b]pyridazin-6-one; 2-[[(2S)-2-amino-3-phenylpropyl]amino]-3-methyl-5-naphthalen-2-yl-6-pyridin-4-ylpyrimidin-4-one; 1-[5-tert-butyl-2-(4-methylphenyl)pyrazol-3-yl]-3-[4-(2-morpholin-4-ylethoxy)naphthalen-l-yl]urea; 6-(2,4-difluorophenoxy)-2-(1,5-dihydroxypentan-3-ylamino)-8-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one; 1-[7-(4-fluorophenyl)-8-pyridin-4-yl-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-2-yl]-2-phenylethane-1,2-dione; 8-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-2-(1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-ylamino)-4-(4-fluoro-2-methylphenyl)pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one; 2-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(2-phenoxypyrimidin-4-yl)imidazol-1-yl]propane-1,3-diol; N,N′-bis[3,5-bis](E)-N-(diaminomethylideneamino)-C-methylcarbonimidoyl]phenyl]decanediamide; [2-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-pyridin-4-yl-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-5-methyl-1,3-dioxan-5-yl]-morpholin-4-ylmethanone;methanesulfonic acid [5-amino-1-(4-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-4-yl]-[3-[(2S)-2,3-dihydroxypropoxy]phenyl]methanone; 2-(2-chloro-6-fluorophenyl)-N-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-pyrimidin-4-yl-1,2-oxazol-5-yl]acetamide; [(2R,3S,4R,5R,6R)-5-[[2-(aminomethylideneamino)acetyl]-methylamino]-3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[(7-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-oxo-3a,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridin-2-yl)amino]oxan-4-yl]carbamate; 1-[5-tert-butyl-2-(4-methylphenyl)pyrazol-3-yl]-3-[[5-fluoro-2-[1-(2-hydroxyethyl)indazol-5-yl]oxyphenyl]methyl]urea; 5-(2,4-difluorophenoxy)-N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1-(2-methylpropyl)indazole-6-carboxamide; N-cyclopropyl-3-fluoro-4-methyl-5-[3-[[1-[2-[2-(methylamino)ethoxyl]phenyl]cyclopropyl]amino]-2-oxopyrazin-1-yl]benzamide; 3-[5-amino-4-(3-cyanobenzoyl)pyrazol-1-yl]-N-cyclopropyl-4-methylbenzamide; 4-[5-(cyclopropylcarbamoyl)-2-methylanilino]-5-methyl-N-propylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxamide; 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfonylphenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]pyridine; N-[4-[5-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-methyl-2-methylsulfinylimidazol-4-yl]pyridin-2-yl]acetamide; 1-(5-tert-butyl-2-phenylpyrazol-3-yl)-3-[2-fluoro-4-[(3-oxo-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-8-yl)oxy]phenyl]urea, 1-(5-tert-butyl-2-phenylpyrazol-3-yl)-3-[2-methylsulfanyl-4-[(3-oxo-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-8-yl)oxy]phenyl]urea; 4-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-pyridinyl)-2-thiazolamine dihydrochloride; 5-(2-chloroethyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole; ethane-1,2-disulfonic acid; 2′-Fluoro-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-butanamide; [4-(2-amino-4-bromoanilino)-2-chlorophenyl]-(2-methylphenyl)methanone; (E)-3-[4-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)phenyl]prop-2-enoic acid; 17alpha-ethynyl-5-androstene-3beta, 7beta, 17beta-triol; (Z)-6-amino-2-(3′,5′-dibromo-4′-hydroxybenzylidene)-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3(4H)-one; (4-benzylpiperidin-1-yl)-(2-methoxy-4-methylsulfanylphenyl)methanone; 6-[5-(cyclopropylcarbamoyl)-3-fluoro-2-methylphenyl]-N-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)pyridine-3-carboxamide; 5-[2-tert-butyl-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]-3-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridin-2-amine;methanesulfonic acid; 4-[5-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-methylsulfanyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl]-N-(1-phenylethyl)pyridin-2-amine; 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxychromen-4-one; 1-[5-tert-butyl-2-(3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)pyrazol-3-yl]-3-[[2-[[3-[2-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)phenyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]sulfanyl]phenyl]methyl]urea; 3-[3-bromo-4-[(2,4-difluorophenyl)methoxy]-6-methyl-2-oxopyridin-1-yl]-N,4-dimethylbenzamide; 5-[2-tert-butyl-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]-3-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)imidazol[4,5-b]pyridin-2-amine; 4-[4-[[4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]carbamoylamino]-3-fluorophenoxy]-N-methylpyridine-2-carboxamide; [5-amino-1-(4-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-4-yl]-[3-[(2S)-2,3-dihydroxypropoxy]phenyl]methanone, 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-pyridin-4-yl-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenol; 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]pyridine hydrochloride; 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-pyridin-4-yl-1H-imidazol-2-yl]phenol hydrochloride; 1-[4-[3-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-pyrimidin-4-yl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]piperidin-1-yl]-2-hydroxyethanone; N,N′-bis[3,5-bis](E)-N-(diaminomethylideneamino)-C-methylcarbonimidoyl]phenyl]decanediamide, 6-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-pyridin-4-yl-2,3-dihydroimidazol[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole; 2-[6-chloro-5-[4-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]piperidine-1-carbonyl]-1-methylindol-3-yl]-N,N-dimethyl-2-oxoacetamide; [5-amino-1-(4-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-4-yl]-[3-(2,3-dihydroxypropoxy)phenyl]methanone; N-[4-[2-ethyl-4-(3-methylphenyl)-1,3-thiazol-5-yl]pyridin-2-yl]benzamid; 4-[4-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]pyridine ; 4,6-bis(p-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-5-(4-pyridyl)-1,2,7-triaza-2H-indene; 2-(3-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-5-yl)acetic acid; 8-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-2-(1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-ylamino)-4-(4-fluoro-2-methylphenyl)pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one, (E)-3-[4-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)phenyl]prop-2-enoic acid; 6-[5-(cyclopropylcarbamoyl)-3-fluoro-2-methylphenyl]-N-(2,2-dimethylpropyl)pyridine-3-carboxamide, 5-[(2-chloro-6-fluorophenyl)acetylamino]-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-(4-pyrimidinyl)isoxazole, 1-[5-tert-butyl-2-(3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)pyrazol-3-yl]-3-[[2-[[3-[2-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)phenyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]sulfanyl]phenyl]methyl]urea), (3-[3-bromo-4[(2,4-difluorophenyl)methoxy]-6-methyl-2-oxopyridin-1-yl]-N,4-dimethylbenzamide; 2-methoxy-1-[4-(4-{3-[5-(tert-butyl)-2-(p-tolyl)-2H-pyrazol-3-yl]ureido}-1-naphthyloxy)methy]-2-pyridylamino}-1-ethanone, 2-methoxy-1-[4-(4-{3-[5-(tert-butyl)-2-(p-tolyl)-2H-pyrazol-3-yl]ureido}-1-naphthyloxy)-2-pyridylamino]-1-ethanone, and 4,6-bis(p-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-5-(4-pyridyl)-1,2,7-triaza-2H-indene.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said severe influenza involves hypercytokinemia.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said hypercytokinemia involves elevated levels of at least one of the following cytokines: TNF α, IL-6, IL-8, and IP10.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is administered in an amount effective to inhibit the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from endothelial cells.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor is administered in an amount effective to inhibit the release of IP10 from endothelial cells.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor exhibits dose-dependent inhibition of cytokines released from endothelial cells.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said severe influenza is characterised by symptoms or signs of at least one of hypoxemia, and cardiopulmonary insufficiency.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said symptoms or signs of hypoxemia or cardiopulmonary insufficiency include at least one of dyspnoea, tachypnoea, cyanosis, low blood pressure, and hypoxia.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said severe influenza is characterised by tachypnoea, wherein tachypnoea designates respiratory rate ≥30 for ages ≥12 years, rate ≥40 for ages 6 to 12 years, rate ≥45 for ages 3 to 6 years, and rate ≥50 for ages 1 to 3 years.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said severe influenza is characterised by at least one of discomfort with breathing, and dyspnoea.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said severe influenza is characterised by at least one of comorbidity with a lower respiratory disorder without radiological pulmonary infiltrates, symptoms or signs suggesting CNS, symptoms or signs suggesting peripheral neuromuscular disorders, severe dehydration, fatigue, lethargy, the presence of radiological pulmonary infiltrate, evidence of sustained viral infection, invasive secondary bacterial infection, a lower respiratory tract disorder, inflammation, mono-organ failure, multi-organ failure, and septic shock.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient is one of the following: an infant, an elderly person, and a pregnant woman.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient has one or more underlying comorbidities that predispose the patient to severe influenza.

14. The method of claim 1 , which comprises administering the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor to the patient for a maximum period of 1-5 days.

15. The method of claim 1 , which comprises administering the p38 MAP kinase inhibitor to the patient once a day.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more symptoms of influenza infection that have persisted for more than two days are selected from the group that consists of fever, lethargy, achiness, congestion, cough, sinus congestion, sinus drainage, upper respiratory congestion, upper respiratory inflammation, lower respiratory tract inflammation, and symptoms of a lower respiratory tract disorder.