Compositions and methods for treating inflammatory disorders

1 . A method of treating rheumatoid arthritis, the method comprising administering to an individual in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a single domain antibody polypeptide construct that antagonizes human TNFα's binding to a receptor, whereby said rheumatoid arthritis is treated.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition prevents an increase in arthritic score when administered to a mouse of the Tg197 transgenic mouse model of arthritis.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the administration of said composition to a Tg197 transgenic mouse comprises the following steps:

a) administer weekly intraperitoneal injections of said composition to a heterozygous Tg197 transgenic mouse,

b) weigh the mouse of step a) weekly, and

c) score said mouse weekly for macrophenotypic signs of arthritis according to the following system: 0=no arthritis (normal appearance and flexion), 1=mild arthritis (joint distortion), 2=moderate arthritis (swelling, joint deformation), 3=heavy arthritis (severely impaired movement).

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition is administered to said mouse before the onset of arthritic symptoms is manifested.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition is first administered when said mouse is three weeks of age.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition is first administered when said mouse is six weeks of age

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition has an efficacy in the Tg197 transgenic mouse arthritis assay that is greater than or equal to that of an agent selected from the group consisting of Etanercept, Infliximab and D2E7.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition has an efficacy in the Tg197 transgenic mouse arthritis assay, such that the treatment results in an arthritic score of 0 to 0.5.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition has an efficacy in the Tg197 transgenic mouse arthritis assay, such that the treatment results in an arthritic score of 0 to 1.0.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition has an efficacy in the Tg197 transgenic mouse arthritis assay, such that the treatment results in an arthritic score of 0 to 1.5.

11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said composition has an efficacy in the Tg197 transgenic mouse arthritis assay, such that the treatment results in an arthritic score of 0 to 2.0.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said treating comprises inhibiting the progression of said rheumatoid arthritis.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said treating comprises preventing or delaying the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said administering results in a statistically significant change in one or more indicia of RA.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said one or more indicia of RA comprise one or more of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Ritchie articular index and duration of morning stiffness, joint mobility, joint swelling, x ray imaging of one or more joints, and histopathological analysis of fixed sections of one or more joints.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said one or more indicia of RA comprises a decrease in the macrophenotypic signs of arthritis in a Tg197 transgenic mouse, wherein said composition is administered to a Tg197 transgenic mouse, wherein said Tg197 transgenic mouse is scored for said macrophenotypic signs of arthritis,

and wherein said macrophenotypic signs of arthritis are scored according to the following system: 0=no arthritis (normal appearance and flexion), 1=mild arthritis point distortion), 2=moderate arthritis (swelling, joint deformation), 3=heavy arthritis (severely impaired movement).

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said one or more indicia of RA comprises a decrease in the histopathological signs of arthritis in a Tg197 transgenic mouse, wherein said composition is administered to a Tg197 transgenic mouse, wherein said Tg197 transgenic mouse is scored for said histopathological signs of arthritis, and

wherein said histopathological signs of arthritis are performed on a joint and scored using the following system: 0=no detectable pathology, 1=hyperplasia of the synovial membrane and presence of polymorphonuclear infiltrates, 2=pannus and fibrous tissue formation and focal subchondral bone erosion, 3=articular cartilage destruction and bone erosion, 4=extensive articular cartilage destruction and bone erosion.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct comprises a human single domain antibody polypeptide.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said human single domain antibody polypeptide binds TNFα.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct binds human TNFα with a K d of <100 nM.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct binds human TNFα with a K d in the range of 100 nM to 50 pM.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct binds human TNFα with a K d of 30 nM to 50 pM.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct binds human TNFα with a K d of 10 nM to 50 pM.

24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct binds human TNFα with a K d in the range of 1 nm to 50 pM.

25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct antagonizes human TNFα as measured in a standard L929 cell assay.

26 . A method of treating rheumatoid arthritis, the method comprising administering to an individual in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a single domain antibody polypeptide construct that antagonizes human TNFα's binding to a receptor, wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct inhibits the binding of human TNFα to a TNFα receptor, and whereby said rheumatoid arthritis is treated.

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62 . A method of treating rheumatoid arthritis, the method comprising administering to an individual in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a single domain antibody polypeptide construct that antagonizes human TNFα's binding to a receptor,

wherein said composition prevents an increase in arthritic score when administered to a mouse of the Tg197 transgenic mouse model of arthritis,

wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct binds human TNFα with a Kd of <100nM,

wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct neutralizes human TNFα as measured in a standard L929 cell assay, and

wherein said rheumatoid arthritis is treated.

63 . A composition comprising a single domain antibody polypeptide construct that antagonizes human TNFα's binding to a receptor, and that prevents an increase in arthritic score when administered to a mouse of the Tg197 transgenic mouse model of arthritis, wherein said single domain antibody polypeptide construct neutralizes human TNFα as measured in a standard L929 cell assay.

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