Patent ID: 6506785
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: A61K,A61P

Abstract:
A method of treating or preventing the early stages of degeneration of articular cartilage or subchondral bone in one or more joints of a mammal in need of such treatment, comprising determining a mammal as being in an early stage, without clinical symptoms, of degeneration of articular cartilage or subchondral bone in one or more joints; and administering to the mammal, prior to onset of clinical symptoms associated with the degeneration of articular cartilage or subchondral bone, an amount therapeutically effective for treating or preventing the early stage of degeneration of articular cartilage or subchondral bone, of a chondroprotective compound of Formula (1): where A is hydroxy, (C1-C4)alkoxy, amino, hydroxy-amino, mono-(C1-C2)alkylamino, di-(C1-C2)alkylamino; X and Y are independently H or (C1-C2)alkyl; and n is 1 or 2;R6 is halogen, (C1-C3)alkyl, trifluoromethyl, or nitro; R9 is H; (C1-C2)alkyl; phenyl or phenyl-(C1-C2)alkyl, where phenyl is optionally mono-substituted by fluoro or chloro; â€”C(&boxH;O)â€”R, where R is (C1-C2)alkyl or phenyl, optionally mono-substituted by fluoro or chloro; or â€”C(&boxH;O)â€”Oâ€”R1, where R1is (C1-C2)alkyl; where X and Y are different, the (âˆ’)(R) and (+)(S) enantiomers thereof; and all pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms, prodrugs and metabolites thereof which are therapeutically active for treating or preventing the early stages of degeneration of articular cartilage or subchondral bone.