Methods for Treating or Preventing Malaria by Administering an Antibody that Specifically Binds Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2)

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for treating or preventing malaria by administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody that specifically binds human angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2).

1 . A method for treating or preventing malaria, the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutical composition comprising an isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds human angiopoietin-2 (hAng-2). 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient is identified as being afflicted with cerebral malaria. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof specifically binds human angiopoietin-2 (hAng-2) but does not substantially bind hAng-1. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof blocks the binding of hAng-2 to hTie-2 but does not substantially block the binding of hAng-1 to hTie-2. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds an epitope on hAng-2 (SEQ ID NO:518) comprising an amino acid selected from the group consisting of F-469, Y-475, and S-480. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds an epitope on hAng-2 comprising amino acids F-469, Y-475, and S-480. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) of a heavy chain variable region (HCVR) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18, and the CDRs of a light chain variable region (LCVR) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain CDR-1 (HCDR1) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, an HCDR-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, an HCDR-3 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, a light chain CDR-1 (LCDR-1) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12, an LCDR-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, and an LCDR-3 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a HCVR having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:18 and a LCVR having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:20. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds to the same epitope on hAng-2 as an antibody which comprises a heavy chain CDR-1 (HCDR1) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, an HCDR-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, an HCDR-3 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, a light chain CDR-1 (LCDR-1) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12, an LCDR-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, and an LCDR-3 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof competes for binding to hAng-2 with an antibody which comprises a heavy chain CDR-1 (HCDR1) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, an HCDR-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:6, an HCDR-3 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:8, a light chain CDR-1 (LCDR-1) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12, an LCDR-2 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, and an LCDR-3 having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:16.