Use of il-18 inhibitors

Use of an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of arthritis.

Use of an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of cartilage destruction.

Use of an IL-18 inhibitor for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of an inflammatory bowel disease.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the medicament further comprises an interferon.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the medicament further comprises a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) antagonist.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the medicament further comprises a COX-inhibitor.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inhibitor of IL-18 is used in an amount of about 0.0001 to 10 mg/kg of body weight, or about 0.01 to 5 mg/kg of body weight or about 0.1 to 3 mg/kg of body weight or about 1 to 2 mg/kg of body weight.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inhibitor of IL-18 is used in an amount of about 0.1 to 1000 μg/kg of body weight or 1 to 100 μg/kg of body weight or about 10 to 50 μg/kg of body weight.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the IL-18 inhibitor is administered subcutaneously.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the IL-18 inhibitor is administered intramuscularly.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the IL-18 inhibitor is administered daily.

The use according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the IL-18 inhibitor is administered every other day.

Use of an expression vector comprising the coding sequence of an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of liver injury.

Use of an expression vector comprising the coding sequence of an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of arthritis.

Use of an expression vector comprising the coding sequence of an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of inflammatory bowel disease arthritis.

Use of a vector for inducing and/or enhancing the endogenous production of an inhibitor of IL-18 in a cell in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of liver injury.

Use of a vector for inducing and/or enhancing the endogenous production of an inhibitor of IL-18 in a cell in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of arthritis.

Use of a vector for inducing and/or enhancing the endogenous production of an inhibitor of IL-18 in a cell in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of inflammatory bowel disease.

Use of a cell that has been genetically modified to produce an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of liver injury.

Use of a cell that has been genetically modified to produce an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of arthritis.

Use of a cell that has been genetically modified to produce an inhibitor of IL-18 in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of inflammatory bowel disease.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of IL-18 and a therapeutically effective amount of an interferon.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an IL-18 inhibitor and a therapeutically effective amount of a TNF antagonist.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an IL-18 inhibitor and a therapeutically effective amount of a COX-2 inhibitor.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an IL-18 inhibitor in combination with a therapeutically effective amount of any or all of an interferon, a TNF antagonist or a COX-2 inhibitor.

Method of treatment and/or prevention of liver injury comprising administering to a host in need thereof an effective inhibiting amount of an IL-18 inhibitor.

Method of treatment and/or prevention of arthritis comprising administering to a host in need thereof an effective inhibiting amount of an IL-18 inhibitor.

Method of treatment and/or prevention of inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering to a host in need thereof an effective inhibiting amount of an IL-18 inhibitor.