Genentech, Inc.

Hongkui Jin

Renhui Yang

Nicholas F Paoni

Ross G Clark

Hsienwie Lu

Stuart Bunting

Nancy Gillett

The invention concerns the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy by interferon-gamma (IFN-&#x3b3;). Cardiac hypertrophy may result from a variety of diverse pathologic conditions, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and valvular regurgitation. The treatment extends to all stages of the progression of cardiac hypertrophy, with or without structural damage of the heart muscle, regardless of the underlying cardiac disorder.

Methods for treating cardiac hypertrophy by administering IFN-&#x3b3;

The invention concerns the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy by interferon-gamma (IFN-&ggr;). Cardiac hypertrophy may result from a variety of diverse pathologic conditions, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and valvular regurgitation. The treatment extends to all stages of the progression of cardiac hypertrophy, with or without structural damage of the heart muscle, regardless of the underlying cardiac disorder.

Effects of IFN-&ggr; on cardiac hypertrophy

A mammal with congestive heart failure is treated by administering to the mammal an effective amount of growth hormone. Treatment results in increased left ventricular cystolic pressure, increased left ventricular maximum, increased cardiac output, and increased stroke volume index. Treatment also results in reduced left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and reduced systemic vascular resistance. These measurements indicate improvement in cardiac function by increased ventricular contractility and decreased peripheral vascular resistance.

Treatment of congestive heart failure

Methods of enhancing myocardial contractility and cardiac performance in a mammal with congestive heart failure are disclosed. In a first method a mammal with congestive heart failure is treated by administering to the mammal an effective amount of a combination of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I). A second method comprises administering to the mammal an effective amount of a combination of GH and IGF-I in the presence of an ACE inhibitor. This method results in enhancement of myocardial contractility and cardiac performance above the level achieved with ACE inhibition alone. Preferably the mammal is a human.

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San Bruno, CA, United States of America

Hongkui Jin