Method of treating myasthenia gravis

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of agents that bind the complement protein C5 in the treatment of diseases associated with inappropriate complement activation and in particular in the treatment of myasthenia gravis.

1 . A method of treating or preventing myasthenia gravis comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an agent that binds complement C5. 
     
     
         2 . Use of a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an agent that binds complement C5 in the manufacture of a medicament for treating or preventing myasthenia gravis. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent acts to prevent the cleavage of complement C5 by C5 convertase into complement C5a and complement C5b-9. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent binds C5 with an IC50 of less than 0.2 mg/ml. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is derived from a haematophagous arthropod. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent that binds C5 is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 19 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in  FIG. 2  or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent that binds C5 is a protein comprising or consisting of amino acids 1 to 168 of the amino acid sequence in  FIG. 2  or is a functional equivalent of this protein. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein as recited in  claim 6 . 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 53 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in  FIG. 2 . 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises or consists of bases 1 to 507 of the nucleotide sequence in  FIG. 2 . 
     
     
         11 . A method according  claim 1  wherein the subject is a mammal, preferably a human. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is administered in a dose sufficient to bind as much available C5 as possible in the subject, more preferably, all available C5. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is administered in a dose sufficient to attenuate weight loss and/or muscle weakness. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is administered in a dose from 1 mg/kg to 15 mg/kg. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is administered intraperitoneally as a single dose of 13 mg/kg. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent is administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 13 mg/kg followed by a 12-hourly dose of 4 mg/kg. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the agent that binds C5 is administered as part of a treatment regimen also involving the administration of a further drug for the treatment of myasthenia gravis. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the further drug is an anticholinesterase agent, such as neostigmine and pyridostigmine, or an immunosuppressive drug, such as prednisone, cyclosporine, and azathioprine. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the agent that binds C5 is administered simultaneously, sequentially or separately with the further drug. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the myasthenia gravis is mild myasthenia gravis or severe myasthenia gravis.