Antagonists of il-6 to prevent or treat cachexia, weakness, fatigue, and/or fever
AssigneeAlderbio Holdings LLC
InventorsJeffrey T.L. Smith, Randall C. Schatzman, Mark J. Litton, John Latham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to therapeutic methods using antibodies and fragments thereof having binding specificity for IL-6 to prevent or treat cachexia, fever, weakness and/or fatigue in a patient in need thereof. In preferred embodiments these patients will comprise those exhibiting (or at risk of developing) an elevated serum C-reactive protein level. In another preferred embodiment, the patient's survivability or quality of life will preferably be improved.
Claims21
1-66. (canceled)
A method of treating cancer-related cachexia, weakness, fever or fatigue in a patient in need thereof by administering an anti-human IL-6 antibody or anti-human IL-6 antibody fragment which specifically competes for binding to the human IL-6 epitope specifically bound by the anti-IL-6 antibody comprising the variable light and heavy chain in SEQ ID NO:3 and 2 respectively, wherein said competition can be detected in a competitive binding assay using said antibody or antibody fragment, the human IL-6 polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:1, and the anti-IL-6 antibody comprising the variable light and heavy chain in SEQ ID NO:3 and 2 respectively.
The method of claim 66, wherein the anti-IL-6 antibody or antibody fragment has an elimination half-life of at least about 22 days.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.