org-2766 and Brain-Diseases

The efficacy of Org 2766, an ACTH(4-9) analogue, on the recovery of cisplatin neuropathy of longstanding duration was investigated in a phase II study. Twenty-two patients were treated with Org 2766 during a period of 4 months and vibration perception threshold (VPT) and sum scores for neuropathic symptoms and signs were compared with pre-treatment values. No change in VPT could be detected. Although there was a small improvement of clinical measures for neuropathy, no clear evidence for repair could be obtained. These results indicate no beneficial effect of Org 2766 on recovery of a longstanding cisplatin neuropathy.

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Adult; Aged; Anticonvulsants; Brain Diseases; Cisplatin; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Motion Perception; Neoplasms; Peptide Fragments; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Vibration

The functional recovery from impaired motor activity induced by 6-hydroxydopamine lesions in rat nucleus accumbens was accelerated by subcutaneous treatment with the ACTH-(4-9) analogue Met/O2/-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe (ORG 2766). Treatment was effective after daily injections of ORG 2766 dissolved in saline during the first 6 days following the lesion (ED50: 28.5 ng kg-1 day-1) or after a single injection of the peptide in a biodegradable microsphere formulation administered after the lesion (ED50: 8.9 ng kg-1 day-1). This study shows that a single injection of a microsphere preparation can replace multiple injections with ORG 2766 in order to facilitate functional recovery after brain damage.

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Anticonvulsants; Brain Diseases; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; Microspheres; Molecular Sequence Data; Motor Activity; Peptide Fragments; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains