Treatment of ocular disorders

Abstract

The invention includes a method of treating an intraocular disorder in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal a Very Late Antigen-4 (VLA-4) antagonist for the treatment of selected ocular disorders.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating an intraocular disorder in a mammal, the method comprising:
 administering to the mammal a Very Late Antigen-4 (VLA-4) antagonist selected from the group consisting of a protein that binds specifically to VLA-4 and a nucleic acid that binds specifically to VLA-4 in an amount sufficient to treat the disorder.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protein is an antibody. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid is an aptamer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disorder is uveitis. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disorder is age-related macular degeneration. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disorder is proliferative vitreoretinopathy. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disorder is an inflammatory intraocular disorder. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disorder is diabetic retinopathy, 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antagonist is administered parenterally or systemically. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antagonist is administered locally to an eye of the mammal afflicted with the disorder. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antagonist interferes with the binding of VLA-4 to a VLA-4 receptor. 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating age-related macular degeneration in a mammal, the method comprising:
 administering to the mammal a VLA-4 antagonist in an amount sufficient to treat age-related macular degeneration.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the antagonist is a protein that binds specifically to VLA-4 or is a nucleic acid that binds specifically to VLA-4. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the protein is an antibody. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the nucleic acid is an aptamer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the age-related macular degeneration is the neovascular form of macular degeneration. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the antagonist is administered parenterally or systemically. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the antagonist is administered locally to an eye of the mammal. 
     
     
         21 - 32 . (canceled)