Osteoarthritis treatment

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a method for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of osteoarthritis (OA). In accordance with the present invention, an antagonist of GM-CSF can be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. An antagonist of GM-CSF includes, but is not limited to, an antibody that is specific for GM-CSF or the GM-CSF receptor. The present invention further provides transgenic animals, such as a GM-CSF knock-out mouse, useful for testing antagonists in certain disease models.

1 . A method for the treatment of osteoarthritis in a human, comprising the step of administering to the human an effective amount of an antibody specific for GM-CSF, wherein the antibody comprises a H-CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17; a H-CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18; a L-CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19; a L-CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20; a L-CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21 and a H-CDR3 amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. 
     
     
         2 . A method for the treatment of osteoarthritis in a human, comprising the step of administering to the human an effective amount of an antibody specific for GM-CSF, wherein the antibody comprises a H-CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17; a H-CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18; a L-CDR1 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19; a L-CDR2 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20; a L-CDR3 amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21 and a H-CDR3 amino acid sequence which is at least 70% homologous to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO. 7 or SEQ ID NO. 16. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a chimeric, humanized or human antibody. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the antibody is a chimeric, humanized or human antibody. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the antibody is a humanized antibody.