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Title: Treatment For Prostate Cancer
UC Case No: 2000-474-3-ott
Categories: Pharmaceuticals: Cancer
Background: Polyamines are naturally synthesized by the body and are involved in many biochemical processes, including cellular proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and protein synthesis. The prostate epithelium synthesizes plyamines at a high rate making the prostate gland having one of the highest level of polyamines in the body . Elevated levels of polyamines lead to excessive cellular proliferation and cancer. Polyamines have become a potential target for therapeutic intervention against conditions related to excessive cellular proliferation and cancer.
Technology: The present invention concerns a method for treating and/or inhibiting prostate cancer in a patient comprising administering alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in an amount and duration sufficient to stabilize or reduce the amount of polyamine produced by the hyperplastic cells, wherein said polyamine is spermine, spermidine or a combination of spermine and spermidine.
Application: (1). A therapeutic that inhibits development of prostate cancer in a human subject comprising administering DFMO to said subject in an amount and duration sufficient to reduce spermine and/or spermidine levels in prostate cells of said subject.

(2). A therapeutic that treats benign prostate hyperplasia in a human subject afflicted with benign prostate hyperplasia comprising administering DFMO to said subject in an amount and duration sufficient to stabilize or reduce the amount of polyamine produced by the hyperplastic cells, wherein said polyamine is spermine, spermidine or a combination of spermine and spermidine.

(3). A therapeutic that treats prostatic hyperplasia in a human comprising administering, for a sufficient duration, a therapeutically effective amount of DFMO, as measured by a reduction or stabilization of polyamine levels produced by the hyperplastic cells, together with a therapeutic effective amount of a second therapeutic agent selected from an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor blocker, a 5-alpha-reductase enzyme blocker, and a combination of an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor blocker, and a 5-alpha-reductase enzyme blocker.

(4). A therapeutic that decreases spermine and/or spermidine levels in a human prostate cell comprising administering to said cell alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in an amount and duration sufficient to decrease the spermine and/or spermidine levels in said cell.

US Patent Publication No. 20040162353

US Patent Publication Title: Alpha-difluoromethylornithine(DFMO) suppresses polyamine levels in the human prostate
Contact: Ronnie Hanecak, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor (Interim)
Office of Technology Alliances
University of California, Irvine
380 University Tower
Irvine, CA 92697-7700

Phone: (949) 824-7186
FAX: (949) 824-2899
Email: rhanecak@uci.edu
Patent Status: Pending
UCI School: College of Medicine
Department: Cancer Center