Compositions and methods for use for antibodies against sclerostin

1. An isolated antibody or antigen binding portion thereof that binds to a sclerostin polypeptide, comprising:

(a) the heavy chain variable region (VH) polypeptide amino acid sequence as set forth as SEQ ID NO:70;

(b) the light chain variable region (VL) polypeptide amino acid sequence as set forth as SEQ ID NO:81; or

(c) the VH polypeptide amino acid sequence as set forth as SEQ ID NO:70 and the VL polypeptide amino acid sequence as set forth as SEQ ID NO:81.

2. The antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding portion:

a) binds to said sclerostin polypeptide with a K D less than 1 nM;

b) blocks the inhibitory effect of sclerostin in a cell based Wnt signalling assay;

c) has an IC 50 less than 100 nM as measured in a cell-based Wnt signalling assay in HEK293 cell lines in the presence of sclerostin;

d) blocks the inhibitory effect of sclerostin in a cell based mineralization assay;

e) has an IC 50 less than 500 nM as measured in BMP2-induced mineralization assay in MC3T3 cells in the presence of sclerostin;

f) inhibits LRP6/sclerostin interaction in a solution inhibition assay;

g) has an IC 50 less than 10 nM as measured in LRP6/sclerostin ELISA

h) blocks the inhibitory effect of sclerostin on BMP6 induced Smad1 phosphorylation in a cell-based functional assay; or

i) has an IC 50 less than 500 nM as measured in BMP6 Smad1 phosphorylation assay in a MC3T3-E1 cell line in the presence of sclerostin.

3. The antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim 1 , comprising a full length heavy chain amino acid sequence having at least 95 percent sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:114.

4. The antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim 1 , comprising a full length light chain amino acid sequence having at least 95 percent sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:125.

5. An isolated antibody or antigen binding portion thereof that binds to a human sclerostin polypeptide, comprising:

a) a VH which comprises, in sequence,

(i) a CDR1 comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:4;

(ii) a CDR2 comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:15; and

(iii) a CDR3 comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:26; and

b) a VL which comprises, in sequence,

(i) a CDR1 comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:37;

(ii) a CDR2 comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:48; and

(iii) a CDR3 comprising an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:59.

6. The antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim claim 1 or claim 5 , comprising the VH polypeptide amino acid sequence as set forth as SEQ ID NO:70 and the VL polypeptide amino acid sequence as set forth as SEQ ID NO:81.

7. The antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim 6 , which is an antibody, wherein said antibody is a human antibody or a chimeric antibody.

8. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim 1 or claim 5 .

9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 8 , in combination with one or more of a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, diluent or carrier.

10. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , comprising an additional active ingredient.

11. An isolated polynucleotide sequence encoding the antibody or antigen binding portion of claim 1 or claim 5 .

12. A cloning or expression vector comprising one or more polynucleotide sequences of claim 11 .

13. A host cell comprising the vector according to claim 12 .

14. A process for the production of an antibody or antigen binding portion thereof, comprising:

(a) culturing a host cell comprising a cloning or expression vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding the antibody or antigen binding portion of claim 1 or claim 5 , under conditions

(i) wherein said vector expresses said polynucleotide; and

(ii) wherein said polynucleotide is translated to said antibody or antigen binding portion; and

(b) isolating said antibody or antigen binding portion.

15. A diagnostic kit comprising the antibody or antigen binding portion according to claim 1 or claim 5 .

16. A method for identifying a cell or tissue expressing sclerostin, the method comprising contacting said cell or tissue with the antibody or antigen binding portion of claim 1 or claim 5 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding portion further comprises a detectable label.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said label is radioactive, fluorescent, magnetic, paramagnetic, or chemiluminescent.

18. A method for increasing bone formation, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody or antigen binding portion as set forth in claim 1 or claim 5 .

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said patient is suffering from a disease or disorder selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary osteoporosis, osteopenia, osteomalacia, osteogenesis imperfecta, avascular necrosis, fracture healing, implant healing, and bone loss.

20. A method for increasing bone mass, bone mineralization or bone density, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody or antigen binding portion as set forth in claim 1 or claim 5 .

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein said patient is suffering from a disease or disorder selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary osteoporosis, osteopenia, osteomalacia, osteogenesis imperfecta, avascular necrosis, fracture healing, implant healing, and bone loss.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said bone loss is due to HIV infection, cancer, or arthritis.

23. The method according to claim 20 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding portion thereof is an antibody comprising the VH polypeptide amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:70 and the VL polypeptide amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:81.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein said antibody is a human antibody or a chimeric antibody.

25. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising administering an additional agent selected from the group consisting of a bisphosphonate, a parathyroid hormone, a parathyroid hormone releasing agent, alendronate, an LRP4 neutralizing antibody and a DKK-1 neutralizing antibody.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein said additional agent is a bisphosphonate, and wherein said bisphosphonate is zoledronic acid.

27. The method according to claim 25 , wherein said additional agent is a parathyroid hormone, and wherein said a parathyroid hormone is hPTH(1-34).