Transdiscal administration of cycline compounds
The present invention relates to administering a doxycycline compound into a diseased intervertebral disc.
1. A formulation for treating degenerative disc disease, comprising:
a) a cycline compound selected from the group consisting of doxycycline, lymecycline and minocycline; and
b) an additional therapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of a growth factor and viable mesenchymal stem cells.
2. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein the additional therapeutic agent is said viable mesenchymal stem cells.
3. The formulation of claim 2 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cells are autologous.
4. The formulation of claim 3 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cells are provided in a concentrated form.
5. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein the additional therapeutic agent is a growth factor.
6. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein the cycline compound is doxycycline.
7. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein the cycline compound is minocyline.
8. The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said cycline compound is released from a sustained delivery device.
9. The formulation of claim 8 , wherein said sustained release device is adapted to remain within the intervertebral disc for at least 1 month.
10. The formulation of claim 8 , wherein said sustained release device is adapted to remain within the intervertebral disc for at least 2 months.
11. The formulation of claim 8 , wherein said sustained release device is adapted to remain within the intervertebral disc for at least 6 months.
12. A method of therapeutically treating a degenerating intervertebral disc of a patient, comprising:
a) determining a level of a pro-inflammatory protein within the disc,
b) comparing the level against a pre-determined level of the pro-inflammatory protein, and
c) injecting a cycline compound into the disc.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the proinflammatory protein is an interleukin.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined level for the interleukin is at least 100 pg/ml.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the proinflammatory protein is interleukin-6 or interleukin-8.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the proinflammatory protein is interleukin-6 and the predetermined level for the interleukin-6 is at least 100 pg/ml.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the proinflammatory protein is interleukin-6 and the predetermined level for the interleukin-6 is at least 250 pg/ml.
18. The formulation of claim 5 , wherein the growth factor is a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) or a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP).
19. The formulation of claim 3 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cells are uncultured.
20. A method of preventing degeneration of an intervertebral disc in a human individual, comprising:
a) determining a genetic profile of the individual,
b) comparing the genetic profile of the individual against a pre-determined genetic profile level of at-risk humans,
c) determining that the individual is an at-risk patient, and
d) injecting a cycline compound into a disc of the individual.