Methods for treating complement-associated disorders

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, compositions containing an inhibitor of human complement and use of the compositions in methods for treating or preventing complement-associated disorders. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is chronically administered to patients. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is administered to a patient in an amount and with a frequency to maintain systemic complement inhibition and prevent breakthrough. In some embodiments, the compositions contain an antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, that binds to a human complement component C5 protein or a fragment of the protein such as C5a or C5b.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in a patient, the method comprising administering eculizumab to the patient in an amount effective to treat complement-mediated TMA, wherein eculizumab is intravenously administered to the patient under the following schedule:
 at least 600 mg of eculizumab once per week for four consecutive weeks; and   beginning at week five, maintenance doses of at least 900 mg eculizumab every two weeks thereafter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the eculizumab is administered to the patient in an amount and with a frequency to maintain at least 50 μg of eculizumab per milliliter of the patient's blood. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein eculizumab is administered to the patient in an amount and with a frequency to maintain at least 100 μg of eculizumab per milliliter of the patient's blood. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein eculizumab is administered to the patient in an amount and with a frequency to maintain a concentration of at least 0.7 molecules of eculizumab per every C5 molecule in the patient's blood.