Methods of Treating Hepatitis With Anti-TNF alpha Antibodies

Abstract

Anti-TNF antibodies, fragments and regions thereof which are specific for human tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and are useful in vivo diagnosis and therapy of a number of TNFα-mediated pathologies and conditions, as well as polynucleotides coding for murine and chimeric antibodies, methods of producing the antibody, methods of use of the anti-TNF antibody, or fragment, region or derivative thereof, in immunoassays and immunotherapeutic approaches are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating hepatitis in a human in need thereof, comprising administering to the human an effective TNFα-inhibiting amount of an anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof for a sufficient period of time to treat the hepatitis, wherein said anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment (i) competitively inhibits binding of A2 (ATCC Accession No. PTA-7045) to human TNFα and (ii) binds to a neutralizing epitope of human TNFα with an affinity of at least 1×10 8  liter/mole, measured as an association constant (Ka), as determined by Scatchard analysis, wherein the hepatitis is alcohol-induced hepatitis. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment comprises an IgG1 constant region. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a therapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of: an antirheumatic, a muscle relaxant, a narcotic, a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), an analgesic, an anesthetic, a sedative, a local anethetic, a neuromuscular blocker, an antimicrobial, an antipsoriatic, a corticosteriod, an anabolic steroid, a diabetes related agent, a mineral, a nutritional, a thyroid agent, a vitamin, a calcium related hormone, an antidiarrheal, an antitussive, an antiemetic, an antiulcer, a laxative, an anticoagulant, an erythropoietin, a filgrastim, a sargramostim, an immunization, an immunoglobulin, an immunosuppressive, a growth hormone, a hormone replacement drug, an estrogen receptor modulator, a mydriatic, a cycloplegic, an alkylating agent, an antimetabolite, a mitotic inhibitor, a radiopharmaceutical, an antidepressant, an antimanic agent, an antipsychotic, an anxiolytic, a hypnotic, a sympathomimetic, a stimulant, donepezil, tacrine, an asthma medication, a beta agonist, an inhaled steroid, a leukotriene inhibitor, a methylxanthine, a cromolyn, an epinephrine, an epinephrine analog, dornase alpha, a cytokine and a cytokine antagonist. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering to the human an effective amount of an anti-inflammatory agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering to the human an effective amount of methotrexate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering to the human an effective amount of a pain control agent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering to the human an effective amount of at least one therapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of: at least one antibiotic and at least one steroid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment is administered at a dose of 1.0-5 mg/kg or 5-10 mg/kg. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment is administered to the human by means of parenteral administration. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-TNFα chimeric antibody is of immunoglobulin class IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 or IgM. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antigen-binding fragment is a fragment selected from the group consisting of Fab, Fab′, F(ab′) 2  and Fv. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  comprising administering to the human an initial 5 mg/kg dose of the anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment, followed by another 5 mg/kg dose of said anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment at two weeks, six weeks and every six weeks thereafter for a sufficient period of time to treat the alcohol-induced hepatitis, wherein said anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment competitively inhibits binding of TNFα to monoclonal antibody cA2. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light chain of the antibody comprises all antigen-binding regions of the light chain of A2 (ATCC Accession No. PTA-7045). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heavy chain of the antibody comprises all antigen-binding regions of the heavy chain of A2 (ATCC Accession No. PTA-7045). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the light chain of the antibody comprises all antigen-binding regions of the light chain of A2 (ATCC Accession No. PTA-7045) and the heavy chain of the antibody comprises all antigen-binding regions of the heavy chain of A2 (ATCC Accession No. PTA-7045). 
     
     
         17 . A method of treating hepatitis in a human in need thereof, comprising administering to the human an effective TNFα-inhibiting amount of an anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof for a sufficient period of time to treat the hepatitis, wherein said anti-TNFα chimeric antibody or antigen-binding fragment (i) competitively inhibits binding of A2 (ATCC Accession No. PTA-7045) to human TNFα and (ii) binds to a neutralizing epitope of human TNFα with an affinity of at least 1×10 8  liter/mole, measured as an association constant (Ka), as determined by Scatchard analysis, wherein the hepatitis is hepatitis C.