Use of anti-eotaxin antibodies for treating inflammatory bowel disease

#The present invention provides use of one or more complementary determining regions (CDRs) of the CAT-212-213 VH and/or VL domains in non-native antibody framework regions, or, alternatively, the whole VH, VL, or CAT-212 antibody, in treating inflammatory diseases in a subject, such as inflammatory bowel disease.

#Human eotaxin is a member of the rapidly expanding group of the CC (Cys-Cys) subfamily of chemokines. This group of molecules is characterised by the presence of 4 conserved cysteines, the first 2 of which are adjacent and share a sequence identity between 20 and 75%. Members of this family include eotaxin-2, eotaxin-3, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, MCP-2, MCP-3, MCP-4, MCP-5, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1, MIP-13, TARC, LARC, 1309 and RANTES.

#Eotaxin can be produced by a variety of normal cell types including epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, T-lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages. Eotaxin expression can be induced from the different cell types by many pro-inflammatory mediators, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interferon and interleukin-1.

#In one embodiment, the present invention provides methods for treating or preventing an inflammatory bowel disease in a subject, comprising administering a composition comprising a specific binding member that binds human eotaxin to said subject.

#In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods for inhibiting or suppressing an inflammatory bowel disease in a subject, comprising administering a composition comprising a specific binding member that binds human eotaxin to said subject.

#In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods for decreasing the incidence of an inflammatory bowel disease in a subject, comprising administering a composition comprising a specific binding member that binds human eotaxin to said subject.