Treatment for inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

A method for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is disclosed. The method comprises administration of an antibody, polypeptide or other molecule recognizing VLA-4, a surface molecule expressed on most types of white blood cells and involved in leukocyte adhesion to endothelium and other tissus in the gut.

1 .- 25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . A method for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, comprising administering to a mammal suffering from inflammatory bowel disease a composition comprising a soluble fibronectin polypeptide comprising an alternatively spliced non-type III connecting segment or a fragment thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the mammal has ulcerative colitis.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the mammal has Crohn's Disease.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the composition is administered during an acute flareup of the inflammatory bowel disease.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the fibronectin polypeptide or fragment thereof is a component of a chimeric molecule.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the composition is administered intravenously.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the chimeric molecule further comprises a toxin moiety.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the toxin moiety is a cytotoxic peptide selected from the group consisting of Diphtheria toxin A,  Pseudomonas  Exotoxin, Ricin A, Abrin A,  Schigella  toxin, or Gelonin.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the toxin moiety is a radionucleotide or a chemotherapeutic agent.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the chimeric molecule further comprises an additional peptide that increases solubility or in vivo life time of the soluble fibronectin or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the additional peptide is a heavy chain constant region of human IgG1.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the additional peptide comprises at least one of the CH 2  or CH 3  regions of the heavy chain of human IgG1.