Patents Assigned to Amira, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5676978
    Abstract: The present invention provides for the use of creatine compounds and hyperplastic inhibitory agents for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatments of undesirable cell growth, e.g. tumors. The present invention provides methods of using creatine compounds, in combination with a hyperplastic inhibitory agent, to inhibit the growth of undesirable cells in a subject. The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery that creatine compounds and hyperplastic inhibitory agents, such as inhibitory agents, additively and synergistically combine to inhibit cell growth. The present invention further pertains to compositions for inhibiting undesirable cell growth in a subject. The compositions of the present invention include an effective amount of the creatine compound and a hyperplastic inhibitory agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other aspects of the invention include packaged creatine compounds and inhibitory agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignees: Amira, Inc., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
    Inventors: Beverly A. Teicher, Donald W. Kufe, Rima Kaddurah-Daouk
  • Patent number: 5324731
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting growth, transformation and/or metastasis of mammalian cells, particularly epithelial cells, in which activity of at least one enzyme, which participates in purine metabolism or regulation of nucleotide levels or the relative ratios of their phosphorylated states, is elevated. In particular, a method of inhibiting transformation, growth and/or metastasis of mammalian cells in which a DNA tumor virus, a DNA tumor virus factor or other factor which has an equivalent effect on cells has acted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Amira, Inc.
    Inventors: Rima Kaddurah-Daouk, James W. Lillie, Jonathan J. Burbaum
  • Patent number: 5321030
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of analogs of creatine, such as cyclocreatine, as antiviral agents. Analogs of creatine can be used as antiviral agents against a variety of viruses, particularly DNA viruses, such as Herpes viruses (e.g., HSV-1, HSV-2, cytomegaloviruses, Varicella-Zoster virus) and adenovirus. The invention further relates to creatine analogs including four classes of creatine analogs selected as candidate antiviral compounds: (1) creatine analogs that can be phosphorylated by creatine kinase but differ in their phosphoryl group transfer potential, (2) bisubstrate inhibitors of creatine kinase comprising covalently linked structural analogs of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine, (3) creatine analogs which can act as irreversible inhibitors of creatine kinase, and (4) N-phosphorocreatine analogs bearing non-transferable moieties which mimic the N-phosphoryl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: Amira, Inc.
    Inventors: Rima Kaddurah-Daouk, James W. Lillie, Theodore S. Widlanski, Jonathan J. Burbaum, Craig J. Forsyth