COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent; a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of such pharmaceutical composition; and a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of the combination of a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound.

Description: COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compo of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. This invention also relates to a method inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of such pharmaceutical composition. This invention also relates to a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicated therewith which comprises administering t such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of the combination of a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound. Cisplatin, or cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum π, has been used successfully f many years as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of various human solid malignant tumors. More recently, other diamino-platinum complexes have also shown efficacy as chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of various human solid malignant tumors. Such diamino-platinum complexes include, but are not limited to, spiroplatinu and carboplatinum. Although cisplatin and other diamino-platinum complexes have been widely used as chemotherapeutic agents in humans, they are not therapeutically effective in all patients or agaisnt all types of solid tumors. Moreover, such compounds have to be delivered at high dosage levels which can lead to toxicity problems such as kidney damage. Topotecan and every compound of tht camptothecin analog class are each a specific inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase I. Topoisomerases are enzymes that are capa of altering DNA topology in eukaryotic cells. They are critical for important cellular functions and cell proliferation. There are two classes of topoisomerases in eukaryotic cells, type I and type II. Topoisomerase I is a monomeric enzyme of approximately 100,000 molecular weight. The enzyme binds to DNA and introduces a transient singl strand break, unwinds the double helix (or allows it to unwind), and subsequently reseals the break before dissociating from the DNA strand. Topotecan has recently shown clinical efficacy as the sole chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of humans afflicated with ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer or non-small cell lung carcinoma. There is a need for increasing the efficacy of the tumor cell growth inhibiting activity of cisplatin and other diamino-platinum complexes and/or providing a means for the use of lower dosages of cisplatin and other diamino-platinum complexes to reduce th potential of adverse toxic side effects to the patient. The pharmaceutical composition and methods of this invention fill such a need. It has now been found that a compound of the camptothecin analog class, such as topotecan, demonstrates a therapeutic synergism when administered with a platinum coordination compound, such as cisplatin, thereby potentially increasing the tumor cell growth inhibiting activity of such platinum coordination compound. It has also now been found that such synergism likely results in a need for lower doses of such platinum coordination compound when administered with a compound of the camptothecin analog class as compared to the doses required when such platinum coordination compound is administered without a compound of the camptothecin analog class. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent; a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of such pharmaceutical composition; and a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicated therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of the combination of a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Camptothecin is a water-insoluble, cytotoxic alkaloid produced by Camptotheca accuminata trees indigenous to China and Nothapodvtes foetida trees indigenous to India. Camptothecin exhibits tumor cell growth inhibiting activity against those tumor cells which are sensitive to it Camptothecin has the following chemical structure: It is recognized that due to the asymmetric carbon atom in the E ring of camptothecin, optical isomers will exist. The S-isomer is the prefenred isomer for tumor cell growth inhibiting activity. By the term "a compound of the camptothecin analog class" is meant any tum cell growth inhibiting compound which is structurally related to camptothecin. Compounds of the camptothecin analog class include, but are not limited to, topotecan, notecan and 9-aminocamptothecin. Such compounds also include, but are not limited to, any tumor cell growth inhibiting camptothecin analog claimed or described in: • U.S. Patent 5,004,758, issued on April 2, 1991 and European Patent Application Number 88311366.4, published on June 21, 1989 as Publication Number EP 0 321 122, • U.S. Patent 4,604,463, issued on August 5, 1986 and European Patent Application Publication Number EP 0 137 145, published on April 17, 1985; • U.S. Patent 4,473,692, issued on September 25, 1984 and European Patent Application Publication Number EP 0074256, published on March 16, 1983; • U.S. Patent 4,545,880, issued on October 8, 1985 and European Patent Application Publication Number EP 0074256, published on March 16, 1983; • European Patent Application Publication Number EP 0088 642, published on September 14, 1983; • Wani et al., J. Med. Chem.. 22, 2358-2363 (1986); • Nitta et al., Proc. 14th International Congr. Chemotherapy, Kyoto, 1985, Toky Press, Anticancer Section 1, p. 28-30, especially a compound called CPT-11. CPT-11 is a camptothecin analog with a 4-(piperidino)-piperidine side chain joined through a carbamate linkage at C-10 of 10-hydroxy-7 -ethyl camptothecin. CPT-1I is currently undergoing human clinical trials and is a referred to as irinotecan; • Wani et al, J. Med. Chem..22, 554 (1980); • Wani et al., J. Med Chem..2Ω, 1774 (1987); • U.S. Patent 4,342,776, issued on August 3, 1982; • U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 581 ,916, filed on September 13, 199 and European Patent Application Publication Number EP 418099, publishe on March 20, 1991; • U.S. Patent 4,513,138, issued on April 23, 1985 and European Patent Application Publication Number EP 0074770, published on March 23, 1983 • U.S. Patent 4,399,276, issued on August 16, 1983 and European Patent Application Publication Number 0056692, published on July 28, 1982; the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. All of the above-listed compounds of the camptothecin analog class are available commercially and or can be prepared by conventional techniques including those described in the abo listed references. Preferably the compound of the camptothecin analog class is selected from th group consisting of topotecan, irinotecan and 9-aminocamptothecin. Preferably the compound of the camptothecin analog class is water soluble. Also preferably the compound of the camptothecin analog class is selected fro the tumor cell growth inhibiting camptothecin analogs claimed in U.S. Patent 5,004,758, issued on April 2, 1991 and European Patent Application Number 88311366.4, publishe on June 21, 1989 as Publication Number EP 0321 122. The preparation of any such compound of the camptothecin analog class (including pharmaceutically acceptable salts hydrates and solvates thereof) as well as the preparation of oral and parenteral pharmaceutical compositions comprising such a compound of the camptothecin analog class and an inert, pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent, is extensively describe in U.S. Patent 5,004,758, issued on April 2, 1991 and European Patent Application Number 88311366.4, published on June 21, 1989 as Publication Number EP 0321 122. Topotecan is the most preferred compound of the camptothecin analog class. By the term "topotecan" as used herein is meant (S)-9-dimethylaminomethyl-10- hydroxycamptothecin and any pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or solvate thereo Topotecan's chemical name is (S)-10[(dimethylamino)methyl]-4-ethyl-4,9-dihydroxy-lH pyranoP'^'^ lindolizinotl^-bJquinolone-S, 14(4H, 12H)-dione. Topotecan is water-soluble by virtue of the presence of the basic side-chain at position 9 which forms salts with acids. Preferred salt forms of topotecan include the hydrochloride salt, acetate salt and methanesulfonic acid salt. An alkali metal salt form o the carboxylate formed on alkaline hydrolysis of the E-ring lactone of topotecan woul also yield a soluble salt, such as the sodium salt. The preparation of topotecan (including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates and solvates thereof) as well as the preparation of oral and parenteral pharmaceutical compositions comprising topotecan and an inert, pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent, is extensively described in U.S. Patent 5,004,758, issued April 2, 1991 and European Patent Application Number 88311366.4, published on Jun 21, 1989 as Publication Number EP 0 321 122. By the term "platinum coordination compound" is meant any tumor cell gro inhibiting platinum coordination compound which provides the platinum in the form o ion. Preferred platinum coordination compounds include cisplatin; cis- diamminediaquoplatinum (II)-ion; chloro(diethylenetriamine)-platinum(II) chloride; dichloro(ethylenediamine)-platinum(II); diammine( 1 , 1 - cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum(II) (Carboplatin); Spiroplatin; Iproplatin; diammine(2-ethylmalonato)-platinum(II); ethylenediaminemalonatoplatinum(II); aqua(l,2-diaminodyclohexane)-sulfatoplatinum(II); (1 ,2- diaminocyclohexane)malonatoplatinum(II); (4-caroxyphthalato)(l ,2- diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II); ( 1 ,2-diaminocyclohexane)-(isocitrato)platinum(II); (l,2-diaminocyclohexane)cis(pyruvato)platinum(II); and (1,2-diaminocyclohexane)- oxalatoplatinum(II); Ormaplatin; and Tetraplatin. Cisplatin is the most preferred platinum coordination compound. By the ter "cisplatin" is meant cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (II). Cisplatin is commercially available. For example, cisplatin is available under the name Platinol® from Bristol Myers-Squibb Corporation as a powder for constitution with water, sterile saline or oth suitable vehicle. Other platinum coordination compounds named herein are known and are available commercially and/or can be prepared by conventional techniques. This invention relates to a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of a compound of the camptothecin analog class a a platinum coordination compound. One preferred aspect of this invention relates to a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amou of topotecan and cisplatin. By the term "inhibiting the growth of tumor cells" as used herein is meant the inhibition of the growth of tumor cells which are sensitive to the method of the subject invention, i.e., therapy involving the administration of an effective amount of the combination of a compound of the camptothecin class, such as topotecan, and a platinu coordination compound, such as cisplatin to a human afflicted therewith. Preferably su treatment also leads to the regression of tumor growth, i.e., the decrease in size of a measurable tumor. Most preferably, such treatment leads to the complete regression of the tumoπ By the term "administering" or "administered" as used herein is meant parenteral and/or oral administration. By "parenteral" is meant intravenous, subcutaneo and intramuscular administration. In the method of the subject invention, the compoun of the camptothecin class may be administered simultaneously with the platinum coordination compound, or the compounds may be administered sequentially, in either order. It will be appreciated that the actual preferred method and order of administratio will vary according to, inter alia, the particular formulation of a compound of the camptothecin analog class (such as topotecan) being utilized, the particular formulation a platinum coordination compound (such as cisplatin) being utilized, the particular tum cells being treated, and the particular host being treated. The optimal method and order administration of the compound of the camptothecin analog class and the platinum coordination compound for a given set of conditions can be ascertained by those skilled the art using conventional techniques and in view of the information set out herein. By the term "effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound" as used herein is meant a course of therapy which will result in inhibiting the growth of tumor cells sensitive to such therapy in a human afflicted therewith. Preferably, such course of therapy will result in the administration of a lower dose of a platinum coordination compound than is required when such compound is administered as the sole chemotherapeutic agent; and or will result in enhancement of the tumor cell growth inhibiting efficacy of the compound of the camptothecin class and/or the platinum coordination compound as compared to when such compound is administered as the sole chemotherapeutic agent It will be appreciated that the actual preferred course of therap will vary according to, inter alia, the mode of administration of the compound of the camptothecin analog class, the particular formulation of a compound of the camptothecin analog class (such as topotecan) being utilized, the particular formulation of a platinum coordination compound (such as cisplatin) being utilized, the mode of administration of the platinum coordination compound, the particular tumor cells being treated and the particular host being treated. The optimal course of therapy for a given set of conditions can be ascertained by those skilled in the art using conventional course of therapy determination tests and in view of the information set out herein. In the method of the subject invention, the platinum coordination compound can be administered in the same manner as in prior clinical practice. More specifically, slow intravenous infusion is the method of choice for cisplatin. For promoting diuresi when using cisplatin or other potentially nephrotoxic platinum coordination compoun the incorporation of mannitol in a dextrose/saline solution is the preferred carrier. Th protocol can also include prehydration of the patient by administration of a dextrose/s solution before the cisplatin. In the method of the subject invention, the dose schedule the platinum coordination compound may be on the basis of from about 1 to about 50 per square meter (mg/m^) of body surface area per course of treatment. For the meth of the subject invention utilizing cisplatin and topotecan, the preferred dosage of cispl would be a single dose of from about 30 to about 100 mg/m^ of cisplatin at the end of one to five consecutive day course of treatment with topotecan. Infusions of the platin coordination compound may be given one to two times weekly, and the weekly treatm repeated several times unless renal toxicity, neurotoxicity or other side effects provide contraindication. Other conventional practices may be employed in conjunction with t administration of cisplatin or other compounds of the platinum coordination complex class. In the method of the subject invention, for parenteral administration of a compound the camptothecin analog class, the course of therapy generally employed is 2 from about 0.1 to about 300.0 mg/m of body surface area per day for about one to ab five consecutive days. More preferably, the course of therapy employed is from about 2 to about 100 mg/m of body surface area per day for about five consecutive days. Mo preferably, the course of therapy employed for topotecan is from about 1.0 to about 2.0 2 mg m of body surface area per day for about five consecutive days. Preferably, the course of therapy is repeated at least once at about a seven day to about a twenty-eight interval (from the date of initiation of therapy) depending upon the initial dosing sched and the patient's recovery of normal tissues. Most preferably, the course of therapy continues to be repeated based on tumor response. Preferably, the parenteral administration of a compound of the camptothecin analog class will be by short (e.g., 30 minute) or prolonged (e.g., 24 hour) intravenous infusion. More preferably, the a compound the camptothecin analog class will be administered by a 30 minute intravenous infusion. At this time, in the method of the subject invention, it is believed that the mo preferred course of parenteral therapy with topotecan to be employed for a previously 2 non-treated or lightly pretreated patient is an initial course of therapy of 1.5 mg/m of body surface area per day administered by short intravenous infusion for five consecuti days. When the patient has recovered sufficiently from the drug-related effects of this 2 initial course, an additional course of therapy of at least 1.5 mg/m of body surface are per day is administered by short intravenous infusion for five consecutive days, to be repeated based on tumor response. At this time, in the method of the subject invention, it is believed that the mo preferred course of parenteral therapy with topotecan to be employed for a heavily 2 pretreated patient is an initial course of therapy of 1.0 mg/m of body surface area per administered by short intravenous infusion for five consecutive days. When the patient has recovered sufficiently from the drug-related effects of this initial course, an additio 2 course of therapy of at least 1.0 mg of topotecan/m of body surface area per day is administered by short intravenous infusion for five consecutive days, such course of therapy to be repeated based on tumor response. In the method of the subject invention, for oral administration of a compound the camptothecin analog class, the course of therapy generally employed is from about 1 2 to about 500.0 mg/m of body surface area per day for about one to five consecutive da More preferably, the course of therapy employed for topotecan is from about 1.5 to abo 2 5.0 mg/m of body surface area per day for about five consecutive days. Preferably, th course of therapy is repeated at least once at about a seven day to about a twenty-eight d interval (from the date of initiation of therapy) depending upon the initial dosing schedu and the patient's recovery of normal tissues. Most preferably, the course of therapy continues to be repeated based on tumor response. The pharmaceutical composition of this invention contains both a compound the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound as well as a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. The appropriate pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and diluents to be utilized in the composition of the invention are wel known to those skill in the art of formulating compounds into pharmaceutical compositions. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention will be in a form suitabl for parenteral administration. Such composition may be formulated for intravenous infusion or injection in numerous ways well known to those skilled in the art with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Preferably, such pharmaceutical composition is in the form of a freeze-dried mixture of the two active ingredients in a unit dosage form, prepared by conventional techniques, which can be reconstituted with water or other suitable infusion liquid at the time of administration. It will be recognized by one of skill in the art that the content of the active ingredients in the pharmaceutical composition of this invention may vary quite widely depending upon numerous factors, such as, the desired dosage and the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier being employed. For administration, in the pharmaceutical compositio of the invention, the content of the compound of the camptothecin analog class will usually be 10:1 to 1000:1 by weight, with respect to the content of the platinum coordination compound present in the composition. Preferably, the pharmaceutical composition of the invention will contain from 5 mg to 500 mg of the platinum coordination complex class compound, and from 100 mg to 10,000 mg of the compou of the camptothecin analog class. Mannitol and/or sodium chloride may preferably be included in amounts conventional for cisplatin preparations. Physiological pH of injectables or infusion drug combinations will be established by inclusion of buffering agents as is known in the pharmaceutical formulation art. Clinical Pharmaceutical Information Topotecan is currently undergoing Phase I clinical investigation. The follow pharmaceutical information is being supplied to the clinicians: How supplied - As a vial containing 5 mg (of the base) with 100 mg mannit The pH is adjusted to 3.0 with HCl/NaOH. Lyophilized powder is light yellow in colo Intact vials should be stored under refrigeration (2-8 degrees Centigrade). Solution Preparation -When the 5 mg vial is reconstituted with 2 ml of Steril Water for Injection, USP, each ml will contain 2.5 mg of topotecan as the base and 50 of mannitol, USP. Topotecan must not be diluted or mixed with buffered solutions because of solubility and stability considerations. Stability - Shelf life surveillance of the intact vials is ongoing. Because the single-use lyophilized dosage form contains no antibacterial preservatives, it is advised that the reconstituted solution be discarded eight hours after initial entry into the vial. Further dilutions of the reconstituted solution to concentrations of 0.02 mg/ml and 0.1 mg.ml in 5% Dextrose Injection, USP, ("D5W") or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, ("NS") in plastic bags stored at room temperature yielded the following stability results: Percentage of Initial Topotecan Remaining in Solution Diluent Time Airs') D5W 0 6 24 48 NS 0 6 24 96.01 98.30 48 102.03 98.35 Topotecan diluted in saline (10 ug/ml or 500 ug/ml) or dextrose (6.7 ug/ml o 330 ug ml) is stable in a hang-bag for 24 hours with at least 95% recovery. Treatment dose - The treatment dose is to be diluted in a final volume of 150 of Sodium Chloride Injection, USP (without preservatives) and administered over a 30 minute period. The treatment dose is to be kept under refrigeration and protected from light and it is to be used within 24 hours. Tumor cell growth inhibiting activity The efficacy of the combination of topotecan and cisplatin in several widely utilized transplantable mouse tumor models was assessed. The results of such assayed showed that the combination of topotecan and cisplatin demonstrated therapeutic synergism (i.e., an effect greater than can be achieved with either drug used individually at its maximall tolerated dose) in the following mouse tumor models: Mice bearing advanced systemic intravenously implanted L1210 leukemia we treated with one intraperitoneal (ip) bolus of the combination on day 3 after implantation Mice bearing advanced pulmonary intravenously implanted Lewis Lung carcinoma treated with ip bolus of the combination on days 7 and 14 after implantation; Mice bearing advanced subcutaneously implanted B 16 melanoma treated with intravenous (iv) bolus of the combination on days 11, 15 and 19 after implantation. No therapeutic synergism was observed when mice bearing established subcutaneously implanted mammary adenocarcinoma 16/C were treated with ip bolus of the combination on days 8 and 15 after implantation.

Claims: CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A parenteral pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound and a pharmaceutic acceptable carrier or diluent. 2. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the platinum coordination compoun cisplatin; cis-diamminediaquoplatinum (IΙ)-ion; chloro(diethylenetriamine)-platinum(I chloride; dichloro(ethylenediamine)-platinum(II); diammine(l,l- cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum(II) (Carboplatin); Spiroplatin; Iproplatin; diammine(2-ethylmalonato)-platinum(II); ethylenediaminemalonatoplatinum(II); aqua(l ,2-diaminodyclohexane)-sulfatoplatinum(II); (1 ,2- diaminocyclohexane)malonatoplatinum(II); (4-caroxyphthalato)(l ,2- diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II); ( 1 ,2-diaminocyclohexane)-(isocitrato)platinum(II); (1 ,2-diaminocyclohexane)cis(pyruvato)platinum(II); and ( 1 ,2-diaminocyclohexane)- oxalatoplatinum(II); Ormaplatin; or Tetraplatin. 3. The composition of Claim 2 wherein the platinum coordination compoun cisplatin. 4. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is topotecan, irinotecan or 9-aminocamptothecin. 5. The composition of Claim 4 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is topotecan. 6. The composition of Claim 5 wherein the platinum coordination compoun cisplatin. 7. The composition of Claim 1 which contains 5 mg to 500 mg of the platin coordination compound, and from 100 mg to 10,000 mg of the compound of the camptothecin analog class. 8. A method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of the composition of Claim 1. 9. A method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicted therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amound of the composition of Claim 6. 10. A method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in a human afflicated therewith which comprises administering to such human an effective tumor cell growth inhibiting amount of a compound of the camptothecin analog class and a platinum coordination compound. 11. The method of Claim 10 herein the platinum coordination compound is cisplatin; cis-diamminediaquoplatinum (II)-ion; chloro(diethylenetriamine)-platinum(II chloride; dichloro(ethylenediamine)-platinum(II); diammine(l,l- cyclobutanedicarboxyIato)platinum(π) (Carboplatin); Spiroplatin; Iproplatin; diammine(2-ethyImalonato)-platinum(II); ethyIenediaminemalonatoplatinum(II); aqua(l,2-diaminodyclohexane)-sulfatoplatinum(II); (1 ,2- diaminocyclohexane)malonatoplatinum(π); (4-caroxyphthalato)(l,2- diaminocyclohexane)pIatinum(II); (l,2-diaminocyclohexane)-(isocitrato)platinum(II); (l^-diaminocyclohexane)cis(pyruvato)platinum(II); and (1,2-diaminocyclohexane)- oxalatoplatinumCQ); Ormaplatin; or Tetraplatin. 12 The method of Claim 11 wherein the platinum coordination compound is cisplatin. 13. The method of Claim 10 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is topotecan, irinotecan or 9-aminocamptothecin. 14. The method of Claim 13 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is topotecan. 15. The method of Claim 14 wherein the platinum coordination compound is cisplatin. 16. The method of Claim 10 wherein the platinum coordination compound is administered via slow intravenous infusion on the basis of from about 1 to about 500 mg/rn^ of body surface area. 17. The method of Claim 16 wherein the platinum coordination compound is cisplatin and the compound of the camptothecin analog class is topotecan and a single dose of from about 30 to about 100 mg/m^ of cisplatin is administered at the end of a on to five consecutive day course of treatment with topotecan. 18. The method of Claim 10 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is administered parenterally, and the course of therapy employed is from 2 about 0.1 to about 300.0 mg m of body surface area per day for about one to about five consecutive days. 19. The method of Claim 18 wherein the course of therapy employed is from 2 about 1.0 to about 2.5 mg of topotecan/m of body surface area per day for about five consecutive days. 20. The method of Claim 18 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is administered via intravenous infusion. 21. The method of Claim 10 wherein the compound of the camptothecin analog class is administered orally, and the course of therapy generally employed is from 2 about 1.0 to about 500.0 mg/m of body surface area per day for about one to five consecutive days. 22. The method of Claim 21 wherein the course of therapy employed is from 2 about 1.5 t too aabboouutt 5.0 mg of topotecan/m of body surface area per day for about five consecutive days.

Inventors: JOHNSON RANDALL KEITH, JOHNSON, RANDALL, KEITH
Applicants: SMITHKLINE BEECHAM CORP, SMITHKLINE BEECHAM CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A61K31
IPC codes: A61K31, A61K33, A61K45, A61P35