Prevention and treatment of synucleinopathic and amyloidogenic disease

Abstract

The invention provides improved agents and methods for treatment of diseases associated with synucleinopathic diseases, including Lewy bodies of alpha-synuclein in the brain of a patient. Such methods entail administering agents that induce a beneficial immunogenic response against the Lewy body. The methods are particularly useful prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of Parkinson's disease.

1 . A method of effecting prophylaxis or treating a disease characterized by Lewy bodies or alpha-synuclein aggregation in the brain, the method comprising administering to a patient having or at risk of the disease an effective regime of a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to an epitope within residues 1-15 of human alpha-synuclein, residues being numbered according to SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease is Parkinson's disease. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the antibody is a chimeric antibody, a human antibody, or a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the antibody is an antibody of human IgG1 isotype. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the antibody is administered with a pharmaceutical carrier as a pharmaceutical composition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the antibody is administered at a dosage of 0.0001 to 100 mg antibody/kg body weight. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the antibody is administered in multiple dosages over at least six months. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the antibody is administered subcutaneously, or intravenously. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is administered by a peripheral route. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is administered at a dose of 1-10 mg/kg. 
     
     
         15 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient has Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies.