Treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria patients by an inhibitor of complement

A method for treating a patient that:

• (i) is afflicted with a hemolytic disease and (ii) has been vaccinated against Neisseria meningitides, the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an anti-C5 antibody that inhibits cleavage of complement component C5 into fragments C5a and C5b.

A method for treating a patient afflicted with a hemolytic disease, the method comprising:

• vaccinating the patient against Neisseria meningitides;
• and
• administering to the patient an effective amount of an anti-C5 antibody that inhibits cleavage of complement component C5 into fragments C5a and C5b.

A method for treating a patient afflicted with a hemolytic disease, the method comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an anti-C5 antibody that:

• (i) inhibits cleavage of complement component C5 into fragments C5a and C5b and (ii) comprises an altered constant region that exhibits decreased effector function relative to the corresponding native constant region.

A method for treating a patient afflicted with a hemolytic disease, the method comprising administering to the patient an anti-C5 antibody under the following treatment schedule:

• (i) 600 mg of the antibody every 7±2 days for the first 4 weeks, (ii) 900 mg of the antibody for the fifth dose 7±2 days after (i), and (iii) 900 mg of the antibody every 14±2 days thereafter, wherein administration of the antibody to the patient is to occur via 25 to 45 minute intravenous infusion, and wherein the antibody inhibits cleavage of complement component C5 into fragments C5a and C5b.