United States Patent:   6,015,796

Assignee:  Zeria Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, JP); Natsu Maruyama (Tokyo, JP)

Filed:  March 11, 1998

The present invention relates to a method for treating AIDS, which comprises administering to an HIV-infected patient (a) a composition containing as the primary component a polysaccharide derived from a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus and (b) a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent. Due to the incorporation of composition (a), the present invention enhances the therapeutic effect of nucleoside-type anti-HIV agents on AIDS.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventors have conducted careful studies in an attempt to improve the therapeutic effect of nucleoside-type anti-HIV agents on AIDS patients. They have found that the combined use of a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus and a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent dramatically improves the mortality of AIDS patients as compared with the case in which the anti-HIV agent alone is administered, leading to completion of the invention. The hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus is known as an agent which is effective for ameliorating reduced white blood cell count stemming from radiotherapy.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for treating AIDS, which comprises administering to an HIV-infected patient (a) a composition containing as the primary component a polysaccharide derived from a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus and (b) a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent.

The present invention also provides a remedy for AIDS which comprises as active ingredients (a) a composition containing as the primary component a polysaccharide derived from a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus and (b) a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent.

The present invention further provides an enhancer drug which comprises as an active ingredient (a) a composition containing as the primary component a polysaccharide derived from a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus and which improves therapeutic effect of a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent on AIDS patients.

The present invention further provides use, as an enhancer drug for improving therapeutic effect of a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent on AIDS patients, of (a) a composition containing as the primary component a polysaccharide derived from a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus.

The present invention still further provides use, for the manufacture of a remedy for AIDS, of (a) a composition containing as the primary ingredient a polysaccharide derived from a hot water extract of human-type tubercle bacillus and (b) a nucleoside-type anti-HIV agent.

Claim 1 of 19 Claims

1. A method of treating AIDS, comprising administering to an HIV-infected patient an effective amount of

(a) a composition comprising a polysaccharide produced by a hot aqueous solvent extraction of tubercle bacillus, wherein the polysaccharide is comprised of arabinose, mannose and glucose residues, and

(b) a nucleoside anti-HIV agent.

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