Treatment of disease by inducing cell apoptosis

Patent Number: 7,402,567

Hepatic fibrosis is associated with overproduction of collagen by stellate cells, as well as killing of hepatocytes by these cells. 

In some situations stem cells have demonstrated positive effects in clinical liver failure, both bone marrow stem cells, as well as mobilized peripheral blood stem cells.

One mechanism by which stem cells may act is through inhibition of stellate cell activation.

The inventors of the current patent have another approach.  Why not just kill the stellate cells?  The patent covers a method of inducing apoptosis by administering N-acetyl-KAVD-C-aldehyde peptides with specific sequences to the stellate cell.

Dependent claims include inducing apoptosis in the stellate cells of a mammal, a human, and in order to decrease or ameliorate fibrotic disease.  Would be interesting to see if this approach synergizes or antagonizes stem cell therapy.

View this patent on the USPTO website.