Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for treatment of damaged lung tissue, e.g., lungs of a patient with a viral infection (e.g., coronavirus) and/or a bacterial infection and/or a parasitic pathogen or a patient whose lung tissue was damaged by exposure to a chemical, and a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Also provided is a method for protecting the brain from neuro-invasion and preventing inflammatory damage to organs remote from the lungs, by blocking cytokine synthesis in the lungs. The treatment includes administering a leptin antagonist (LepA) locally to the upper airways and/or to the lungs of the patient. Typically, the LepA is administered in an inhalable composition, such as, an aerosol.

Abstract: A method and device for localized treatment of tissues or organs that were exposed to ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury, in order to reduce their structural damage and loss of function. The method further includes intra-arterial treatment of transplanted tissues or organs, which are exposed to similar damage of IR and are at risk of impaired function. Leptin antagonist is administered as a bolus injection directly into a re-opened artery, which supplies blood to the tissue or organ involved, immediately after reperfusion. In some cases, after administering a bolus injection of leptin antagonist, the effect of leptin antagonist in the involved organ can be prolonged by deploying a double function drug eluting stent, which elutes leptin antagonist into the lumen, e.g., by sustained release, while eluting antiproliferative drug into the vessel wall to prevent local stenosis, which may appear due to stent deployment.

Abstract: A method and device for localized treatment of tissues or organs that were exposed to ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury, in order to reduce their structural damage and loss of function. The method further includes intra-arterial treatment of transplanted tissues or organs, which are exposed to similar damage of IR and are at risk of impaired function. Leptin antagonist is administered as a bolus injection directly into a re-opened artery, which supplies blood to the tissue or organ involved, immediately after reperfusion. In some cases, after administering a bolus injection of leptin antagonist, the effect of leptin antagonist in the involved organ can be prolonged by deploying a double function drug eluting stent, which elutes leptin antagonist into the lumen, e.g., by sustained release, while eluting antiproliferative drug into the vessel wall to prevent local stenosis, which may appear due to stent deployment.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) are configured for sustained-release of anti-proliferative drug into the wall of a blood vessel (to prevent in-stent stenosis), and for sustained-release of leptin antagonist into the lumen to be carried by the blood and be uptaken by tissue cells that were subjected to IRI.