Patent ID: 9119805
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: A61K,A61P

Abstract:
1. A method of reducing self-administration of alcohol in a subject suffering from problem drinking, said method comprising administering to the subject an amount of a composition comprising an oxytocin or an analog or derivative of the oxytocin set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or an oxytocin receptor agonist for a time and under conditions sufficient to reduce alcohol consumption by the subject at least to a level that constitutes moderate drinking behavior, thereby reducing self-administration of alcohol in the subject, wherein: (a) said derivative of oxytocin is selected from the group consisting of: a fusion protein comprising SEQ ID NO: 1; and a peptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 and one or more-chemical moieties other than an amino acid; (b) said analog of oxytocin is selected from the group consisting of: 4-serine,8-isoleucine-oxytocin; 3-phenylalanine-oxytocin (syn. oxypressin); 4-threonine-1-hydroxy-deaminooxytocin; 4-serine,8-isoleucine-oxytocin; 9-deamidooxytocin; 7-D-proline-oxytocin; (2,4-diisoleucine)-oxytocin; carbetocin (syn. 1-deamino-1-monocarba-[2-O-methyltyrosine]-oxytocin); 7-glycine-oxytocin; 4-threonine,7-glycine-oxytocin (syn. TG-OT); deamino-6-carba-oxytoxin (syn. dC60); and deamino-dicarba-oxytocin (syn. 1-deamino-1,6-dicarba-[2-O-methyltyrosine]-oxytocin); and (c) said oxytocin receptor agonist is selected from the group consisting of: 2-D-tyrosine-oxytocin; 5-D-asparagine-oxytocin; and 1-hemi-D-cysteine-oxytocin, and wherein said moderate drinking behavior comprises a maximum alcohol intake that is less than that constituted by said problem drinking, wherein: (i) said problem drinking is a drinking behavior comprising less than two alcohol-free days in any one-week period, and said moderate drinking behavior comprises at least two alcohol-free days in any one-week period; or (ii) said problem drinking is a drinking behavior comprising alcohol intake sufficient to reach a blood alcohol level of 0.05% or higher on two or more consecutive days in any one-week period, and said moderate drinking behavior comprises a maximum alcohol intake that is insufficient to reach a blood alcohol level of 0.05% on two or more consecutive days in any one-week period; or (iii) said problem drinking is a heavy drinking behavior comprising alcohol intake equivalent of at least 250 grams of alcohol for a male or at least 90 grams of alcohol for a female on one day in a one-week period, and said moderate drinking behavior comprises a maximum alcohol intake that is less than that constituted by said heavy drinking.