GB2122896A - Anti-tumour microorganism obtained products - Google Patents

Abstract

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a purified pyridine-soluble extract obtained from a microorganism which contains 7 and 20% by weight of protein, 10 and 16% by weight of sugar, and 35 and 55% by weight of fatty acids which when combined with cell wall skeleton and trehalose dimycolate in a pharmaceutically acceptable medium is useful as an anti-tumor agent in the treatment of animals and humans.

Description

SPECIFICATION Pyridine soluble extract of a microorganism The present invention is directed to a pyridine-soluble extract of a microorganism which, when combined with cell wall skeleton (CWS) and trehalose dimycolate (TDM) provides a pharmaceutical composition possessing anti-tumor properties.

Bacteria such as Corynebacterium parvum have been the subject of experimental work to isolate and characterise the component responsible for inducing inhibition of tumor growth (see, for example, Anti TumorActivity andLymphoreticular Stimulation Properties of Fractions Isolated from C. parvum; Cantrell, et al., Cancer Research 39, pgs 3554-3653 (September 1979)). Apart from anti-tumor activity, C. parvum has shown to be a potent stimulator of the lymphoreticular system resulting in undesirable increases in spleen and liver weights and blastogenesis. Applicant has discovered that a pyridine-soluble extract of a microorganism possesses potent anti-tumor properties without the undesirable toxic effects associated with the prior art products.

Cell wall skeleton is essentially cell wall which has had much of the protein and lipids normally found in the cell wall removed. It is a polymeric mycolic acid arabinogalactan mucopeptide containing remnants of trehalose mycolates ("P3") and undigested tubercuioproteins. Cell wall skeleton is obtained from any microorganism including, but not limited to: M. smegmatis, M. phlei, Nocardia rubra, Nocardia asteroides, Corynebacterium diphtheria, Corynebacterium parvum, M. kansasii, M.

tuberculosis (Strain H 37 RV and Ayoma B), and M. bovis Strain BCG. Additionally, cell wall skeleton may be obtained from such other organisms as E. coli, B. abortus and Coxiella burnettii.

Cell wall skeleton may be produced by first growing and harvesting bacteria such as M. bovis strain BCG (Bacillus Calmette -- Guerin). The resulting whole cell residue is processed through a cell fractionator (Ribi Cell Fractionator (Sorvall, Model RF-1)) which disrupts the cells, separating the outer envelope or cell wall from the protoplasmic impurities. The resulting cell walls are then subjected to a series of solvent extractions and enzymatic treatments (e.g., trypsin and/or chymotrypsin) to give purified cell wall skeleton.

Trehalose dimycolates (TDM), may be obtained from the organisms such as, for example, M.

avium, M. phlei, M. tuberculosis (Strain H 37 RV and Ayoma B), M. bovis BCG, M. smegmatis, M.

kansasii, Nocardia rubra, M. bovinis and Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Bacteria such as M. avium are grown, harvested and then heat killed. The cell mass is then extracted with several solvents and then an active, solvent soluble, fraction is extracted. This extract is further purified by a series of solvent extractions to provide crude TDM (see biologically active components from mycobacterial cell walls. i. isolation and composition of cell wall skeleton and component P3; Azuma, et al., Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume 52, pgs. 95-101, 1974) incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed in Azuma et al., crude TDM may then be further purified by centrifugal microparticulate silica gel chromatography to give purified TDM.

According to the invention there is provided a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a purified pyridine-soluble extract obtained from a microorganism, said extract containing between about 7 and 20% by weight of protein, between about 10 and 16% by weight of sugar, and between about 35 and 55% by weight of fatty acids, cell wall skeleton and trehalose dimycolate, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The extract preferably contains about 12% by weight of each of protein and sugar and about 45% by weight of fatty acids.

Any microorganism may be used to obtain the pyridine-soluble extract including, for example, M.

bovis BCG, M. phlei, M. smegmatis, M. kansasii, Nocardia rubra, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium parvum. Corynebacterium parvum is especially preferred.

Whole cells of the microorganism, preferably in the form of a paste, are mixed with pyridine. The resulting mixture is separated to obtain a supernatant fraction which contains the pyridine-soluble extract and a pyridine residue. Optionally, the pyridine residue may be subjected to repeated separation procedures as described above using pyridine to remove further quantities of the desired extract.

The pyridine is then removed from the extract and the dried extract is dialysed against a suitable liquid such as distilled water. The absence of whole cell and cell fragment contaminants is confirmed electron microscopy. The resulting purified extract may then be lyophillized by known methods to obtain a stable product.

The pyridine-soluble extract produced in accordance with this invention may be combined with CWS and TDM to produce a composition having a potent anti-tumor activity without stimulating the induction of spleen and liver enlargements. The cancers which may be treated by this composition include animal tumors such as bovine squamous cell carcinoma, bovine fibrosarcoma, equine sarcoid, equine melanoma, equine squamous cell carcinoma, canine mammary tumors, canine adenoma and canine melanoma and human tumors such as breast tumors, lung tumors, colon tumors, malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinomas and ovarian tumors.

The composition is preferably administered by injection in a pharmaceutically acceptable medium such as an oil-droplet emulsion directly into the tumor under conditions more particularly described below. The aforesaid composition may be stabilised as for example, by a lyophilisation procedure and then reconstituted without loss of potency.

The amount of the pyridine-soluble extract in a single injection for the treatment of animals is between about 375 and 2500 micrograms/milliliter. The amount of each of CWS and TDM is between about 125 and 375 micrograms/milliliter.

The number of milliliters of the biologic injected into the tumor is determined by the size of the tumor in accordance with the following table: Animal Dosage According to Tumor Size Diameter of Tumor Amount of Biologic (cm) Injected (ml) 0--1 up to 0.5 1-2 0.5to2.5 2-3 2.5 to 5 3-5 5 to 10 5-8 10 to 15 greater than 8 1 5 to 20 The maximum dose per injection is about 40 milligrams for the pyridine-soluble extract, 40 milligrams for CWS, and 6 milligrams for TDM. The course of treatment comprises up to six injections administered at about two week intervals.

The present composition in a suitable injection medium such as an oil-droplet emulsion is administered directly into human tumors. The amount of the pyridine-soluble extract in a single injection is between about 200 and 5000 micrograms, preferably between about 800 and 1200 micrograms.

The amount of CWS is between about 50 and 2000 micrograms while the amount of TDM is between about 50 and 1000 micrograms. The preferred single dosage level for each of CWS and TDM is between about 475 and 525 micrograms. All of the above-mentioned dosage levels are based on a typical 70 kilogram adult patient. The injections are administered about once every week for up to a total of 1 5 injections.

As described above, the composition for treatment of warm blooded animals and humans may be used in the form of an oil droplet emulsion. The amount of oil used is in the range of between about 0.5 and 3.0 percent by volume based on the total volume of the composition. It is preferred to use between about 0.75 and 1.5 percent by volume of the oil. Examples of such oils include light mineral oil, squalane, squalene, 7-n-hexyloctadecane, Conoco superoil and Drakeol 6 VR mineral oil (produced by the Penreco Company, Butler, Pennsylvania).

The homogenised oil containing mixture is then combined with a detergent which may optionally be dissolved in a saline solution prior to mixing. The amount of detergent is typically between about 0.02 and 0.25 percent by volume and preferably between about 0.10 and 0.20 percent by volume based on the total volume of the composition. Any common detergent material may be used including Tween-80 and Arlacel (produced by the Atlas Chemical Company).

The mixture resulting from the addition of detergent is then homogenised to form a suspension which has a high percentage of oil droplets coated with the active components as determined by observation under a microscope.

The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit or in any way redefine the invention as claimed in the claims appended hereto.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of Pyridine-Sol uble Extract from Corynebacterium parvum Corynebacterium parvum (P. acnes, Strain 4182) was grown and harvested at 370C in NIH thioglycolate broth for between 48 and 72 hours to obtain a whole cell paste. The paste was washed with 500 mg. of distilled water. 90 grams (wet weight) of the washed paste was mixed with 200 ml. of neat pyridine and centrifuged at 1 700 x g for one hour at 40C. A pyridine-soluble extract was removed as a supernatant fraction. The remaining residue was extracted with additional pyridine under identical conditions as described above. Following filtration, using Whatman No. 1 paper, the pyridine extracts were pooled and the solvent was removed by evaporation at 500C in a Buchi Rotavapor (Brinkmann Instruments, Westbury, New York). The dried pyridine extract was extensively dialyzed against distilled water and then lyophilized. The resulting purified pyridine extract contained about 12% by weight of protein, about 1 2% by weight of sugar and 45% by weight of fatty acids. The extract was examined under an electron microscope and found to be free of contaminating whole cells and cell wall fragments.

The yield of the pyridine-soluble extract was 9% (8.1 g).

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of Pyridine-Soluble Extract from M. bovis Strain BCG M. bovis Strain BCG was grown and harvested in Sautons medium at 37C for about 3 to 4 weeks to obtain a washed whole cell paste. 50 grams (wet weight) of the washed paste was then treated in the same manner as Example 1 to produce a yield of the pyridine-soluble extract of 7% (3.5 g). The extract contained 1 5% by weight of protein, 1 0% by weight of sugar and 52% by weight of fatty acids.

EXAMPLE 3 Guinea-Pig Line-i 0 Tumor Tests Six strain 2 guinea pigs having Line-1 0 tumor growths of about 9 mm in diameter were injected once with 0.4 ml of a sterile oil droplet emulsion, i.e. Drakeol 6 VR mineral oil (Pennsylvania Refining Company, Butler, Pennsylvania), containing 300 micrograms of the pyridine-soluble extract prepared in accordance with Example 1 and 50 micrograms of each of cell wall skeleton and trehalose dimycolate, directly into the tumor tissue.

At the end of three months, the animals were examined and in 5 of the 6 animals, total regression had occurred.

In a control experiment, six strain 2 guinea pigs having Line-i 0 tumor growths of about 9 mm in diameter were injected once with 0.4 ml of the sterile oil droplet emulsion described above without the pyridine extract or cell wall skeleton and trehalose dimycolate. The injections were made directly into the tumor tissue. None of the six tumors showed any signs of regression after three months.

Claims (6)

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a purified pyridine-soluble extract obtained from a microorganism, said extract containing between about 7 and 20% by weight of protein, between about 10 and 16% by weight of sugar, and between about 35 and 55% by weight of fatty acids, cell wall skeleton and trehalose dimycolate, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is M. bovis BCG, M. phlei, M.

smegmatis, M. kansasii, Nocardia rubra, Corynebacterium diphtheriae or Corynebacterium parvum and preferably Corynebacterium parvum.

3. The composition of claim 1 or 2 wherein the extract contains about 12% by weight of each of protein and sugar and about 45% by weight of fatty acids, and further, the amount of each of the pyridine-soluble extract and cell wall skeleton is up to about 40 milligrams, and the amount of trehalose dimycolate is up to about 6 milligrams, the composition being in lyophilized form or in the form of an oil droplet emulsion.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the oil is a light mineral oil, squalane, squalene, 7-n- hexyloctadecane, Conoco Superoil or Drakeol 6 VR mineral oil, the oil being present in an amount between about 0.5 and 3.0% by volume based on the total volume of the composition.

5. The composition of claim 3 characterised in that it includes a detergent in an amount between about 0.02 and 0.25% by volume based on the total volume of the composition and the pyridine-soluble extract product is between about 200 and 5000 micrograms, the amount of cell wall skeleton is between about 50 and 2000 micrograms and the amount of trehalose dimycolate is between about 50 and 1000 micrograms.

6. A composition according to claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to any one of the Examples.