WO2018030881A2 - Use of thyroid hormone for treatment of choroidal disease - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing a thyroid hormone for the prevention or treatment of a choroidal disease; a method for preventing or treating a choroidal disease by administering a thyroid hormone; and a novel use of a thyroid hormone for the prevention or treatment of a choroidal disease.

Description

Use of Thyroid Hormone for the Treatment of Choroid Disease

The present invention is a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of choroidal diseases, including thyroid hormones; Preventing or treating choroidal disease by administering thyroid hormones; And new uses of thyroid hormone for the prevention or treatment of choroidal diseases.

The mammalian eye is a complex organ that includes the sclera (a tough white portion on the outside of the eye) and an outer sheath that includes the cornea, and a transparent outer part that covers the pupil and iris. In the medical section, the eye is a cornea, an anterior chamber (filled with an aqueous transparent fluid called an aqueous fluid, an anterior structure that is bordered by the cornea and the anterior border of the lens by the lens), and the iris (openable in response to ambient light). Curtain-like structures), the lens, the posterior chamber (filled with sticky body fluid called the vitreous), the retina (the innermost coating on the back of the eye consisting of photosensitive neurons), the choroid (the middle layer that supplies blood to the cells of the eye), And a structure including the sclera. The posterior chamber occupies approximately two thirds of the eye's internal volume, while the anterior chamber and related structures (such as the lens, iris, etc.) occupy about one third of the eye's volume.

Among posterior ocular disorders are uveitis, scleritis, glaucoma, eye sarcoidosis, optic neuritis, macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, corneal ulcer, autoimmune disease, ophthalmic signs of AIDS, optic nerve degeneration, superficial atrophy, choroidal disease, Retinitis, and the like, and examples of choroidal diseases include, but are not limited to, choroidal neovascularization, nodular chorioangiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy, choroid dystrophy and the like. Choroid dystrophies include central gyrate choroidal dystrophy, paracytic choroid dystrophy and total central choroidal atrophy.

In particular, in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) or central serous retinopathy (CSR), abnormal subretinal fluid develops in the central part of the retina due to abnormal retinal pigment epithelium or choroid. The retina is swollen, which can lead to severe vision loss. This is exudative chorioretinopathy, characterized by exudative sensory nerve retinal detachment with or without associated detachment of the retinal pigment epithelial layer. Some central serous chorioretinopathies sometimes cause tings and tinges and are characterized by fluid leakage beneath the retina.

Thyroid hormone is known to be useful for treating conditions associated with impaired thyroid hormone function. Impaired thyroid activity can occur, for example, naturally, or as a result of hypofunction, accompanied by surgical removal of the thyroid gland, thyroiditis, or pituitary degeneration leading to hypothyroidism. Conditions accompanying hypothyroidism include mucus edema, cretin disease, and obesity.

Thyroid hormones include triiodothyronine (T ₃ ) and its prohormone, thyroxine (T ₄ ). Thyroxine (T ₄ ) is converted to the active form of triiodothyronine (T ₃ ), and triiodothyronine (T ₃ ) is about 3-4 times more potent than thyroxine (T ₄ ).

Thyroid hormone drugs are represented by liothyronine (T ₃ ) and levothyroxine (T ₄ ), and their synthetic forms are available from many producers.

International Publication No. WO 2006/031922 is a disease that can be treated by administering thyroid hormone or thyroid hormone analogue (levothyroxine) to promote angiogenesis, which is obstructive vascular disease, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, myocardial infarction, Disclosed is a method for treating ischemia, stroke, peripheral arterial vascular disorders and wounds, and is a primary thyroid hormone analog that can be treated by administering tetra-iodine tyroacetic acid, an anti-angiogenic agent, to inhibit angiogenesis. Or methods for treating metastatic tumors, glioma, breast cancer and diabetic retinopathy. However, none of the diseases that can be treated by promoting angiogenesis or vice versa inhibiting angiogenesis, and no central serous chorioretinopathy is disclosed.

WO 2014/074823 discloses a method and apparatus for non-surgically administering an effective amount of a drug formulation to the suprachoroidal space (SCS) of the eye of a human subject. Specifically, inserting the hollow microneedle into the eye and injecting the drug formulation into the choroidal space of the eye through the inserted microneedle, wherein the injected drug formulation flows away from the insertion site during the injection into the choroidal space. Localization to the posterior eye area is disclosed. However, there is a limitation of the procedure for patients who are afraid of the insertion of microneedles or fear.

Therefore, the development of a therapeutic agent for central serous chorioretinopathy, which is a choroidal disease, especially exudative chorioretinopathy, is still needed.

Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide new therapies and therapeutic agents for choroidal diseases.

The inventors have surprisingly found that thyroid hormones are effective in the treatment of choroidal diseases, including central serous chorioretinopathy.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of choroidal diseases, including thyroid hormone; Preventing or treating choroidal disease by administering thyroid hormones; And new uses of thyroid hormone for the prevention or treatment of choroidal diseases.

In particular, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of choroidal diseases comprising a therapeutically effective amount of thyroid hormone.

The present invention also provides a method of preventing or treating choroidal disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of thyroid hormone.

The present invention also provides the use of thyroid hormones for preventing or treating choroidal diseases.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is thyroxine (T ₄ ).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is in synthetic form.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine (T ₄ ).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine sodium salt.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the choroidal disease is selected from the group consisting of choroidal neovascularization, nodular choroidal angiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy and choroid dystrophy.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the choroidal disease is especially central serous chorioretinopathy.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine, the therapeutically effective amount of which is 0.01 to 0.3 mg, preferably 0.02 to 0.2 mg, more preferably 0.05 to 0.1 mg on a daily administration basis. .

The present invention exhibits an excellent effect of treating choroidal diseases, particularly central serous chorioretinopathy, by providing new therapies for difficult-to-treat choroidal diseases.

1 is a comparative photograph of the eye (left eye) before and after the treatment of the patient of Example 1 taken by OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography).

(a): 10-character OCT photo with CSC outbreak

(b): OCT photo after the recovery of CSC

(c): OCT photo on May 09, 2016 with CSC

(d): OCT photo after 13 September 2016 after CSC recovery

FIG. 2 is a photograph of eye (left eye) comparison before and after treatment of the patient of Example 1 taken with a fundus photography.

(a): Picture of Fundus fundus on February 10, 2016

(b): After the recovery of CSC, fundus photograph

(c): Picture of fundus on May 09, 2016

(d): After the recovery of CSC

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention or treatment of choroidal diseases comprising a therapeutically effective amount of thyroid hormone.

The present invention also provides a method of preventing or treating choroidal disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of thyroid hormone.

The present invention also provides the use of thyroid hormones for preventing or treating choroidal diseases.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is thyroxine (T ₄ ).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is in synthetic form.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine (T ₄ ).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine sodium salt.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the choroidal disease is selected from the group consisting of choroidal neovascularization, nodular choroidal angiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy and choroid dystrophy.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the choroidal disease is especially central serous chorioretinopathy.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine, the therapeutically effective amount of which is 0.01 to 0.3 mg, preferably 0.02 to 0.2 mg, more preferably 0.05 to 0.1 mg on a daily administration basis. .

Thyroid hormones include triiodothyronine (T ₃ ) and its prohormone, thyroxine (T ₄ ). T ₄ is converted to the active form T _3, T ₃ is a strong about three to four times more potent than T _4. T ₃ and T ₄ are produced in the human thyroid by iodide and binding of the amino acids tyrosine. T ₃ contains three iodine atoms and is formed by the bonding of one molecule of monoiodine tyrosine with one molecule of diiodine tyrosine. T ₄ contains four iodine atoms and is formed by the bonding of two molecules of diiotyrosine. Both of these hormones are stored as thyroglobulin in the thyroid gland.

Thyroid hormone preparations fall into two categories: (1) natural hormone preparations derived from animal thyroid, and (2) synthetic preparations.

(1) Natural hormone preparations include natural sources derived from the disabled thyroid of livestock animals, such as the thyroid of cattle or pigs, and tyroglobulins derived from the thyroid of pigs. The U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP) defines the total iodine content of natural products. Thyroid USP contains not less than 0.17% and not more than 0.23% of iodine, and tyroglobulin contains not less than 0.7% of organic bound iodine. Iodine content is only an indirect indicator of true hormonal biological activity.

(2) Synthetic forms of thyroid hormone are available from many producers. Thyroid hormone synthesis forms are represented by liothyronine (T ₃ ) and levothyroxine (T ₄ ). Lyotyronine is also known as L-3,5,3'-triiodtyronine, or L-T3. Levothyroxine is the levo-isomer of thyroxine, including L-thyroxine; L-T4; O- (4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodinephenyl) -3,5-diiodotyrosine; And L-3,5,3 ', 5'-tetraiodthyronine.

For example, lyothironine sodium (T ₃ ) tablets are under the trademark Cytomel® by King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (St. Louis, Missouri). Levothyroxine sodium (T ₄ ) is from King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. under the trademark Levoxyl®, from Knoll Pharmaceutical (Mt. Olive, New Jersey) under the trademark Synthroid®, and Jerome Stevens Pharmaceuticals (Bohemia, New) under the trademark Unithroid®. York). Also, the vertebrate preparations of levothyroxine sodium are under the trademark Soloxine®, for example, Virbac or PM resources, Inc. (St. Louis, Mo.).

Levoxyl® (Levothyroxine Sodium Tablet, USP) contains the synthesized crystalline L-3,3 ', 5,5'-tetraiodtyronine sodium salt. Synthesis of Levoxyl® T ₄ is the same as that produced in the human thyroid gland. Levoxyl® levothyroxine (T ₄ ) sodium has an empirical formula of C ₁₅ H ₁₀ I ₄ N NaO ₄ .H ₂ O and a molecular weight of 798.86 g / mol (anhydrous), and a structural formula represented as follows.

The term "thyroid hormone" as used in this patent includes not only the hormone itself, but also pharmaceutically acceptable salts of such hormones (eg sodium salts). Thyroid hormones can be synthesized as biologically active L-enantiomers or can be isolated directly from the animal's thyroid gland. Thyroid hormones may be present in one or more polymorphic forms, for example, in one or more crystalline, amorphous, phase, solid solutions, and / or mixtures thereof. In addition, thyroid hormones may be present in the form of solvates, for example hydrates.

Thus, thyroid hormones useful in the pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment and uses of the present invention can be prepared from pharmaceutically acceptable polymorphic forms and / or mixtures thereof. In addition, thyroid hormones useful in the pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment and uses of the present invention can be prepared from solvates of thyroid hormones and / or mixtures thereof.

Thyroid hormone useful in the pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment and uses of the present invention is thyroxine (T ₄ ). Also useful in the pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment and uses of the invention are thyroid hormones in synthetic form, specifically levothyroxine. Preferably, the thyroid hormone is levothyroxine sodium salt.

The chemical name of levothyroxine sodium is sodium (S) -2-amino-3- [4- (4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodophenoxy) -3,5-diiodophenyl] propionate . Levothyroxine sodium is the monosodium salt of the levo isomer of the thyroxine (left isomer). Levothyroxine sodium may be present in one or more polymorphs, for example in one or more crystalline, amorphous, phase, solid solutions and / or mixtures thereof. All such forms of levothyroxine sodium and / or mixtures thereof are included in the present invention.

Very low daily doses of levothyroxine sodium ranging from 0.025 to 0.3 mg have been used in the treatment of thyroid hormone deficiency. In particular, levothyroxine sodium has been commonly used in the form of tablets for oral administration in which the unit dose is about 0.1 mg per tablet.

The disease to be prevented or treated with the pharmaceutical composition, treatment method or use of the present invention is choroidal disease. Examples of choroidal diseases include, but are not limited to, choroidal neovascularization, nodular choroidal angiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy, choroid dystrophy and the like. Choroid dystrophies include central gyrate choroidal dystrophy, paracytic choroid dystrophy and total central choroidal atrophy.

In one embodiment, the choroidal disease is acute. In another embodiment, the choroidal disease is chronic.

In particular, the pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment or uses of the present invention may be used to prevent or prevent choroidal diseases, particularly central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) or central serous retinopathy (CSR). To cure.

CSC or CSR is a disorder in which the retina swells due to abnormal subretinal fluid in the macula, the central part of the retina, beyond the retinal pigment epithelium or choroid, which can lead to severe vision loss. This is exudative chorioretinopathy, characterized by exudative sensory nerve retinal detachment with or without associated detachment of the retinal pigment epithelial layer. Specifically, central serous chorioretinopathy indicating separation between the retina and the retinal pigment epithelial layer is of particular interest. Some central serous chorioretinopathies sometimes cause tings and tinges and are characterized by fluid leakage beneath the retina.

The dose of thyroid hormone for the prevention or treatment of the disease will typically depend on the severity of the disease, the weight of the subject and the metabolic state. By “therapeutically effective amount” for an individual patient is meant an amount sufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect. Specifically, the therapeutically effective amount of thyroid hormone in the present invention is 0.01 to 0.3 mg, preferably 0.02 to 0.2 mg, more preferably 0.05 to 0.1 mg for levothyroxine on a daily basis when administered to humans. .

On the other hand, specific examples of the therapeutically effective amount of thyroid hormone in the present invention may vary depending on the person with and without history of thyroid disease. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the therapeutically effective amount is relatively high due to the underlying dose of thyroid hormone in patients with thyroid disease. For example, the therapeutically effective amount is relatively high for patients in the Examples described below due to their thyroid disease history.

The pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administered by conventional methods used for the administration of therapeutic agents, such as oral, parenteral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous or rectal administration. In one embodiment, the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are not administered directly to the eye. Preferably, but not necessarily limited to, it is used in solid unit dosage form, such as a tablet, for oral administration of the pharmaceutical composition. If levothyroxine tablets are used as thyroid hormones, they are given orally.

The concentration of thyroid hormone in the compositions of the present invention may vary depending, for example, on the desired unit dose or volume, and the particular thyroid hormone (s) used. Typically, the thyroid hormone concentration will be from about 0.1 mg / ml to about 2.0 mg / ml, especially when the hormone contains levothyroxine. In some embodiments, the concentration is about 1.0 mg / ml.

The dosage and dosage of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is determined according to the sex, age and other conditions of the patient, disease state and the like. In one embodiment, the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention can be administered 1 to 3 times a day, and the dosage and interval may be adjusted as the case may be.

Suitable dosages of the pharmaceutical compositions according to one embodiment of the invention may include factors such as formulation method, mode of administration, age, weight, sex, morbidity, food, time of administration, route of administration, rate of excretion and response to the patient. And usually skilled practitioners can readily determine and prescribe a dosage effective for the desired treatment or prophylaxis.

A pharmaceutical composition according to one embodiment of the present invention may be formulated using a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and / or excipient according to a method which can be easily carried out by those skilled in the art. It may be prepared in unit dose form or incorporated into a multi-dose container. In this case, the formulation may be in the form of a solution, suspension or emulsion in an oil or aqueous medium, or may be in the form of extracts, powders, granules, tablets or capsules, and may further include a dispersant or stabilizer. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers may be solid or liquid, excipients, antioxidants, buffers, bactericides, dispersants, adsorbents, surfactants, binders, preservatives, disintegrants, sweeteners, flavoring agents, glidants, release controlling agents, wetting agents, It may be at least one selected from stabilizers, suspending agents and lubricants. In addition, the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier may be selected from saline, sterile water, Ringer's solution, buffered saline, dextrose solution, maltodextrin solution, glycerol, ethanol and mixtures thereof.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples. However, the following examples are merely to illustrate the present invention by way of example, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

< Example >

Example  One: Central serous choroid  Patient care

A 27-year-old male was diagnosed with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). The patient had a thyroid tumor removed about a year earlier and was taking a levothyroxine Synthroid tablet at the doctor's prescription. Retinal detachment from the patient's left eye was observed in the left eye of the patient, and the patient had a central dark spot (feeling dark as if he had seen the sun), immobility, microscopic vision (distance changes as if only the center of the field of vision was concave). ), Peripathy (looks straight), central night blindness (not visible at night except for light sources, it should be recognized as a peripheral vision), decreases the number of characters (cognitive width) that can be recognized as central vision, decreased vision, Symptoms such as decreased color.

From the day of diagnosis of CSC, the patient took enterone to treat CSC but the CSC worsened. Ten days after CSC diagnosis, the patient received AVASTIN (VEGF antibody) intravitreal injection and took acetazolamide, but CSC did not improve at all.

Four months after the diagnosis of CSC, the patient took 0.05 mg of thin geidoid tablets every 16 hours instead of once daily (ie, equivalent to 0.068 mg per day) under the judgment that thyroid function was reduced. Was judged. Thus, the patient again took 0.05 mg of thin zoidal tablets once a day and confirmed that the CSC recurred to the previous level. Therefore, about six months after the diagnosis of CSC, the patient began taking 0.075 mg of thin geloid tablets once a day, and as a result, the CSC improved rapidly. About nine months after the diagnosis of CSC, the patient began taking 0.1 mg of thinjiroid tablets once a day, and eventually CSC was treated.

The specific treatment log of the above patients is as follows.

2014.11.30 Thyroid Tumor Resection

2014.12.09 Discharge and thin geloid tablet 0.05mg (28 days) prescription

2015.01.06 Prescription Thingeloid Tablet 0.05mg (60 days)

2015.03.07 Prescription Thingeloid Tablet 0.05mg (61 days)

2015.05.07 Stop taking FT4 (free thyroxine) in blood with normal findings of 1.42 ng / dl

2015.07.22 Serum FT4 Concentration 1.19 ng / dl Normal

2015.11.17 Blood FT4 Concentration 1.23 ng / dl Normal or TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) 7.05 u IU / ml Unusually high thinner tablets for 0.05 mg (91 days)

2015.12.26 CSC diagnosis , prescription for enteron (vascular improvement agent) (taken until 2016. 06. 15)

2016.01.05 AVASTIN (VEGF Antibody) Intravitreal Injection Due to CSC Deterioration, Acetazolamide Prescription (2 Months)

2016.01.20 CSC deterioration

2016.02.10 CSC Slightly larger Size has remained since. Peeling due to subretinal exudates was confirmed in the OCT photograph of FIG. In the fundus photograph of Fig. 2 (a), detachment of the retina was observed on the macula (dark part) (which is confirmed by OCT), and a faint rounded spot was observed around the macula.

2016.02.12 Blood FT4 concentration 1.19 ng / dl normal, TSH 4.18 u IU / ml within normal range. ThinGidoid Tablets 0.05mg (91day)

2016.03.21 Taking 0.05mg of thin geloid tablets every 16 hours (0.068mg per day) in the presence of cold symptoms lasting more than a month and hypothyroidism. Cold symptoms recover in 3 days

2016.04.01 Confirmed that CSC has recovered . Peeling is no longer observed in the OCT photograph of FIG. 1 (b). Round spots were not observed around the macula in the fundus photograph of FIG. 2 (b). From this point, I took 0.05mg of thin Zoidal tablet per day

2016.04.15 CSC  Relapse (Previous Level)

2016.05.09 CSC deteriorated. Peeling due to subretinal exudates was confirmed in the OCT photograph of FIG. In the fundus photograph of Figure 2 (c) is observed a white circle around the macular.

05/13/2016 ssinji Lloyd Chung 0.075mg (91 days) Prescription

2016.05.30 Prescribe amoxicillin and others (for 3 days) to remove otitis externa. Stop taking amoxicillin due to sudden deterioration of CSC after taking.

2016.06.15 CSC worsened (the height of clinical data was reduced by 1um compared to 2016.05.09, but the width of disease was more than doubled). Since then I have stopped taking entereron in addition to ThinGidroid.

2016.07.15 CSC significantly eased

2016.08.10 CSC mitigation. Due to the same cold symptoms as before, taking 0.1mg of thinjiroid tablets a day. Recover from cold symptoms.

2016.08.12 Prescription 0.075mg (90 days) for thin geoid tablets . Blood FT4 concentration 1.32 ng / dl normal, TSH 1.64 u IU / ml within normal range. Because of the cold, take a daily dose of 0.1 mg of thin geoid tablets from this day . Recover from cold symptoms.

2016.09.13 Confirmed CSC recovery . Peeling is no longer observed in the OCT photograph of FIG. No white circles were observed around the macula in the fundus photograph of FIG. 2 (d).

2016.10.21 Prescription 0.1mg (21 days) of ThinGidoid Tablets . Blood FT4 concentration 1.29 ng / dl normal, TSH 0.2 u IU / ml Low but not problematic.

2016.11.02 CSC  Recovery confirmation

11/11/2016 ssinji Lloyd tablet 0.1mg (61 days) Prescription

Claims (27)

1. A pharmaceutical composition for the prophylaxis or treatment of choroidal diseases comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T ₄ ).
2. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein thyroxine (T ₄ ) is in synthetic form.
3. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 2, wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine.
4. 4. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 3, wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine sodium salt.
5. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein the choroidal disease is selected from the group consisting of choroidal neovascularization, nodular choroidal angiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy, and choroid dystrophy.
6. 6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 5, wherein the choroidal disease is central serous chorioretinopathy.
7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine and its therapeutically effective amount is 0.01 to 0.3 mg once daily.
8. 8. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 7, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is from 0.02 to 0.2 mg once daily.
9. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is 0.05 to 0.1 mg on a once daily basis.
10. A method for preventing or treating choroidal disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T ₄ ).
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is in synthetic form.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine.
13. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is a levothyroxine sodium salt.
14. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the choroidal disease is selected from the group consisting of choroidal neovascularization, nodular choroidal angiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy and choroid dystrophy.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the choroidal disease is central serous chorioretinopathy.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine and its therapeutically effective amount is 0.01 to 0.3 mg once daily.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is from 0.02 to 0.2 mg once daily.
18. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is 0.05 to 0.1 mg on a once daily basis.
19. Use of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T ₄ ) to prevent or treat choroidal diseases.
20. 20. Use according to claim 19, wherein thyroxine (T ₄ ) is in synthetic form.
21. The use of claim 20, wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine.
22. Use according to claim 21, characterized in that thyroxine (T ₄ ) is a levothyroxine sodium salt.
23. 20. The use according to claim 19, wherein the choroidal disease is selected from the group consisting of choroidal neovascularization, nodular chorioangiopathy, choroidal sclerosis, central serous chorioretinopathy, multifocal chorioretinopathy and choroid dystrophy.
24. Use according to claim 23, wherein the choroidal disease is central serous chorioretinopathy.
25. 20. The use according to claim 19, wherein the thyroxine (T ₄ ) is levothyroxine and its therapeutically effective amount is 0.01 to 0.3 mg once daily.
26. Use according to claim 25, characterized in that the therapeutically effective amount is from 0.02 to 0.2 mg on a once daily basis.
27. Use according to claim 26, characterized in that the therapeutically effective amount is 0.05 to 0.1 mg on a once daily basis.

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