Combination therapy for treatment of coronary artery disease

Abstract

An effective combined dose of an anti-CD47 agent and an anti-TNFα agent is administered to the subject in a dose and for a period of time effective to stabilize, prevent or reduce atherosclerotic plaque in the individual.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a subject for atherosclerosis, the method comprising:
 administering to the subject an effective dose of an anti-CD47 agent and an anti-TNFα agent.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-CD47 agent reduces the binding of CD47 on an apoptotic cell to SIRPα on a phagocytic cell. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the anti-CD47 agent specifically binds CD47. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-CD47 agent is an antibody. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the antibody is humanized 5F9-hIgG4. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the anti-CD47 agent is a soluble SIRPα reagent. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the agent is a high affinity soluble SIRPα reagent. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the anti-CD47 agent specifically binds SIRPα. 
     
     
         11 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 10 , wherein the anti-TNFα agent is an antibody that binds to TNFα. 
     
     
         12 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 10 , wherein the anti-TNFα agent is a soluble TNF receptor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 12 , wherein the combination of agents provides for a synergistic effect relative to the use of either agent as a monotherapy. 
     
     
         14 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 13 , wherein the dosage of one or both agents in the combination is reduced relative to the effective dose of the agent as a monotherapy. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has been diagnosed as having at least one 9p21 risk allele for atherosclerosis.