COMPOSITION COMPRISING A DESFERRIOXAMINE-METAL COMPLEX AND ITS USE FOR TREATING TISSUE DAMAGE FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO WARFARE AGENT

摘要

Mustard agents are among the most powerful tactical chemical weapons that exist today, and no specific antidote or highly effective treatment against mustard toxicity is currently available. The present invention intends to provide such antidote, in the form of a desferrioxamine (DFO)-metal complex for use in the topical treatment and/or prevention of damage to a tissue exposed to such chemical weapons. More specifically, this DFO-metal complex contains zinc or gallium, and it is most effectively active following injury by nitrogen or sulfur mustard, The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions for the topical treatment and/or prevention of tissue damage upon chemical weapon injury, comprising as active agent said DFO-metal complex of the invention. Methods of treatment utilizing said DFO-metal complex and its uses are also presented by the invention.