Methods of Using IL-1beta Compounds

Abstract

This invention relates to methods employing IL-1β-ligand/IL-1 receptor disrupting compounds (herein referred to as “IL-1beta Compounds”); such as small molecular compounds disrupting IL-1β ligand-IL-1 receptor interaction, IL-1β antibodies or IL-1 receptor antibodies, e.g. IL-1β binding molecules as described herein, e.g. antibodies disclosed herein, e.g. IL-1β binding compounds or IL-1 receptor binding compounds, and/or RNA compounds decreasing either IL-1β ligands or IL-1 receptor protein levels, in the treatment and/or prevention of auto-inflammatory syndromes, e.g. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or adult rheumatoid arthritis syndrome and to methods of treating and/or preventing auto-inflammatory syndromes, e.g. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or adult rheumatoid arthritis syndrome, in mammals, particularly humans.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of an IL-1beta antibody comprising:
 a) an immunoglobulin heavy chain variable domain (VH) comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:1;   b) an immunoglobulin light chain variable domain (VL) comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:2;   c) an immunoglobulin VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 and an immunoglobulin VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2; or   d) the three CDRs of the VH as set forth as SEQ ID NO:1 and the three CDRs of the VL as set forth as SEQ ID NO:2.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the IL-1beta antibody comprises
 a) an immunoglobulin VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 and an immunoglobulin VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2; or   b) the three CDRs of the VH as set forth as SEQ ID NO:1 and the three CDRs of the VL as set forth as SEQ ID NO:2.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the three CDRs of SEQ ID NO:1 comprise the amino acid sequences set forth as SEQ ID NOs:3-5, and wherein the three CDRs of SEQ ID NO:2 comprise the amino acid sequences set forth as SEQ ID NOs:6-8. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the IL-1beta antibody comprises an antigen binding site comprising at least one immunoglobulin VH which comprises in sequence hypervariable regions CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3, said CDR1 having the amino acid sequence Val-Tyr-Gly-Met-Asn (SEQ ID NO:3), said CDR2 having the amino acid sequence Ile-Ile-Trp-Tyr-Asp-Gly-Asp-Asn-Gln-Tyr-Tyr-Ala-Asp-Ser-Val-Lys-Gly (SEQ ID NO:4), and said CDR3 having the amino acid sequence Asp-Leu-Arg-Thr-Gly-Pro (SEQ ID NO:5) and an antigen binding site comprising at least one immunoglobulin VL which comprises in sequence hypervariable regions CDR1′, CDR2′ and CDR3′, said CDR1′ having the amino acid sequence Arg-Ala-Ser-Gln-Ser-Ile-Gly-Ser-Ser-Leu-His (SEQ ID NO:6) said CDR2′ having the amino acid sequence Ala-Ser-Gln-Ser-Phe-Ser (SEQ ID NO:7) and said CDR3′ having the amino acid sequence His-Gln-Ser-Ser-Ser-Leu-Pro (SEQ ID NO:8). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the IL-1beta antibody is a human antibody. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the IL-1beta antibody is administered once every week or less frequently. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the IL-1beta antibody is administered to the patient subcutaneously.