Method of Treating or Preventing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

This invention is in the field of treating or preventing inflammation in humans and animals and relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating or preventing various inflammatory conditions. In particular, the invention relates to compositions and methods for treating or preventing inflammatory conditions such as citrulline-related inflammatory diseases. The invention provides specific binding molecules directed against citrulline-containing epitopes for use in the therapy and prevention of inflammatory conditions.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method for treating a subject seropositive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, the method comprising:
 treating the seropositive subject with an antibody that specifically reacts with a citrullinated epitope present on a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO: 37 or SEQ ID NO:38.   
     
     
         6 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the antibody comprises:
 a heavy chain CDR1 domain comprising the polypeptide encoded by positions 76-99 of SEQ ID NO: 44;   a heavy chain CDR2 domain comprising the polypeptide encoded by positions 151-174 of SEQ ID NO: 44;   a heavy chain CDR3 domain comprising the polypeptide encoded by positions 289-333 of SEQ ID NO: 44;   a light chain CDR1 domain comprising the polypeptide encoded by positions 79-111 of SEQ ID NO: 45;   a light chain CDR2 domain comprising the polypeptide encoded by positions 163-171 of SEQ ID NO: 45; and   a light chain CDR3 domain comprising the polypeptide encoded by positions 280-306 of SEQ ID NO: 45   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the seropositive subject suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.