The present invention relates to treating malignancies such as tumors or cancers by orally administering lyophilized compositions comprising arsenic to a subject in such need. Malignancies include various hematological malignancies, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) including acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), multiple myeloma (MM) and lymphomas and solid tumors including glioblastoma multiforme and breast cancer. Arsenic treatment has shown great promise in the treatment of several cancers but requires daily intravenous (IV) administration. This invention relates to a novel formulation comprising a lyophilized compositions comprising arsenic. As a result, the formulation facilitates a systemic bioavailability comparable to that of intravenous (IV) administration of arsenic trioxide currently practiced. The present invention also relates to a method for lyophilizing the arsenic trioxide, preparing the oral formulation comprising lyophilized compositions comprising arsenic, and a method for treating a subject with malignancies using the oral formulation.

The present invention provides a betaine compound for use in the prevention of obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or metabolic disorders associated with either of the foregoing in a subject, wherein the prevention comprises administering the betaine compound directly to the subject during infancy or, alternatively, to the subject's mother during breast-feeding. Also provided are compositions comprising an effective amount of betaine compound together with one or more pharmaceutically or edible acceptable excipients and/or carriers for this use.

Certain embodiments of the invention pertain to a method of treating an infection in a subject caused by an infectious agent other than Escherichia coli, the method comprising administering to the subject arsinothricin or a salt thereof. The infectious agent other than E. coli can be a bacterium, protozoan, helminth, archaebacterium, or a fungus. In preferred embodiments, the infectious agent is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium brevis, or Enterobacter cloacae. The invention also pertains to a method of treating an infection in a subject caused by an infectious agent, comprising administering to the subject arsinothricin or a salt thereof in combination with an inhibitor of phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase. In certain such embodiments, the infectious agent expresses phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase. Further embodiments provide compositions comprising arsinothricin or a salt thereof and an inhibitor of phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase.

Certain embodiments of the invention pertain to a method of treating an infection in a subject caused by an infectious agent other than Escherichia coli, the method comprising administering to the subject arsinothricin or a salt thereof. The infectious agent other than E. coli can be a bacterium, protozoan, helminth, archaebacterium, or a fungus. In preferred embodiments, the infectious agent is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium brevis, or Enterobacter cloacae. The invention also pertains to a method of treating an infection in a subject caused by an infectious agent, comprising administering to the subject arsinothricin or a salt thereof in combination with an inhibitor of phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase. In certain such embodiments, the infectious agent expresses phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase. Further embodiments provide compositions comprising arsinothricin or a salt thereof and an inhibitor of phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase.

Certain embodiments of the invention pertain to a method of treating an infection in a subject caused by an infectious agent other than Escherichia coli, the method comprising administering to the subject arsinothricin or a salt thereof. The infectious agent other than E. coli can be a bacterium, protozoan, helminth, archaebacterium, or a fungus. In preferred embodiments, the infectious agent is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium brevis, or Enterobacter cloacae. The invention also pertains to a method of treating an infection in a subject caused by an infectious agent, comprising administering to the subject arsinothricin or a salt thereof in combination with an inhibitor of phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase. In certain such embodiments, the infectious agent expresses phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase. Further embodiments provide compositions comprising arsinothricin or a salt thereof and an inhibitor of phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase or arsinothricin N-acetyltransferase.

The subject invention provides arsinothricin (AST) or salts thereof, and compositions comprising AST or a salt thereof for use as multi-stage antimalarials. The subject invention also provides methods for treating, inhibiting and/or preventing malaria infection and transmission by using AST or salts thereof, or compositions comprising AST or a salt thereof. Advantageously, AST or a salt thereof inhibits glutamine synthetase (GS) of malaria pathogens without exhibiting cytotoxicity to human host.

The subject invention provides arsinothricin (AST) or salts thereof, and compositions comprising AST or a salt thereof for use as multi-stage antimalarials. The subject invention also provides methods for treating, inhibiting and/or preventing malaria infection and transmission by using AST or salts thereof, or compositions comprising AST or a salt thereof. Advantageously, AST or a salt thereof inhibits glutamine synthetase (GS) of malaria pathogens without exhibiting cytotoxicity to human host.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating liver cancer and a method for producing same, the composition comprising tetraarsenic hexoxide in which the content of tetraarsenic hexoxide crystalline polymorph a (As.sub.4O.sub.6-a) is 99% or more. The composition of the present invention exhibits an excellent cancer cell proliferation inhibition effect and thus can be useful as an anticancer drug.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating liver cancer and a method for producing same, the composition comprising tetraarsenic hexoxide in which the content of tetraarsenic hexoxide crystalline polymorph a (As.sub.4O.sub.6-a) is 99% or more. The composition of the present invention exhibits an excellent cancer cell proliferation inhibition effect and thus can be useful as an anticancer drug.

Disclosed are a deuterated oxophenylarsine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition containing a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the deuterated oxophenylarsine. The deuterated oxophenylarsine can be used for treating and preventing cancers and related diseases.