Selective elimination of erosive cells

Abstract

The current invention relates to the treatment of diseases characterized by cartilage destruction and/or bone erosion. In particular the present invention relates to the treatment of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, psoriatic arthritis or rheumatic arthritis with an anti-NKG2A antibody.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for treating a subject having psoriatic arthritis, the method comprising administering an anti-NKG2A antibody, or an antigen binding fragment thereof to said subject, wherein said antibody blocks inhibitory signaling by CD94-NKG2A receptors and is a non-depleting antibody, and wherein said antibody has a heavy chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a light chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 3, or wherein said antibody has a heavy chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 4 and a light chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 5. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody stimulates selective elimination of cartilage destructive cells or reduces formation of bone eroding cells. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cartilage destructive cells are fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the bone eroding cells are osteoclasts. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody is a humanized or human antibody. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody is humZ270 or humZ199. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a light chain comprising CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the heavy chain of the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises:
 a CDR1 sequence of amino acid residues 31 to 35 (SYAMS) of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein one or two of these amino acid residues may be substituted by a different amino acid residue; and/or   a CDR2 sequence of amino acids 50-65 (EISSGGSYTYYADSVK) of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein one, two, three or four of these amino acids residues may be substituted by a different amino acid residue; and/or   a CDR3 sequence of amino acids 99-108 (HGDYPRFFDV) of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein one, two or three of these amino acids residues may be substituted by a different amino acid;   and wherein the light chain of said anti-NKG2A antibody comprises:   a CDR1 sequence of amino acid residues 24-34 (SASSSVSSYIY) of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein one, two or three of these amino acid residues may be substituted with a different amino acid; and/or   a CDR2 sequence of amino acid residues 50-56 (LTSNLAS) of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein one or two of these amino acid residues may be substituted with a different amino acid; and/or   a CDR3 sequence of amino acid residues 89-97 (QQWSGNPYT) of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein one, two or three of these amino acid residues may be substituted with a different amino acid.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and a light chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 4 and a light chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 5. 
     
     
         32 . A method for treating psoriatic arthritis comprising administering an anti-NKG2A antibody, or an antigen binding fragment thereof, to a subject in need thereof, wherein said antibody has a heavy chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a light chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 3, or wherein said antibody has a heavy chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 4 and a light chain comprising the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 5. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody is a humanized or human antibody. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody is humZ270 or humZ199. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 2 and a light chain comprising CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 of SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the heavy chain of the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises:
 a CDR1 sequence of amino acid residues 31 to 35 (SYAMS) of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein one or two of these amino acid residues may be substituted by a different amino acid residue; and/or   a CDR2 sequence of amino acids 50-65 (EISSGGSYTYYADSVK) of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein one, two, three or four of these amino acids residues may be substituted by a different amino acid residue; and/or   a CDR3 sequence of amino acids 99-108 (HGDYPRFFDV) of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein one, two or three of these amino acids residues may be substituted by a different amino acid;   and wherein the light chain of said anti-NKG2A antibody comprises:   a CDR1 sequence of amino acid residues 24-34 (SASSSVSSYIY) of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein one, two or three of these amino acid residues may be substituted with a different amino acid; and/or   a CDR2 sequence of amino acid residues 50-56 (LTSNLAS) of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein one or two of these amino acid residues may be substituted with a different amino acid; and/or   a CDR3 sequence of amino acid residues 89-97 (QQWSGNPYT) of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein one, two or three of these amino acid residues may be substituted with a different amino acid.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and a light chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the anti-NKG2A antibody comprises a heavy chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 4 and a light chain comprising SEQ ID NO: 5.