Methods for treating or preventing asthma by administering an IL-4R antagonist

1. A method for the treatment of persistent asthma that reduces the incidence of asthma exacerbations or improves one or more asthma-associated parameter(s) in a subject with persistent asthma comprising sequentially administering to the subject a single initial dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof specifically binds an interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R), and wherein administration of the single initial dose is followed by one or more secondary doses of the pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises heavy chain and light chain complementarity determining region (CDR) sequences from a heavy chain variable region (HCVR)/light chain variable region (LCVR) sequence pair of SEQ ID NOs: 162/164.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain comprising heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR) sequences of SEQ ID NOs:148, 150, and 152, respectively, and a light chain comprising light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR) sequences of SEQ ID NOs:156, 158, and 160, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the initial dose and the secondary doses comprise 75 mg to 600 mg of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the subject systemically, subcutaneously, intravenously, or intranasally.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is an add-on treatment to medium-to-high dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a second controller medication.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second controller medication is selected from the group consisting of: a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) inhibitor, an interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor, an interleukin 5 (IL-5) inhibitor, an interleukin-1 (IL-8) inhibitor, an immunoglobulin E (IgE) inhibitor, a leukotriene inhibitor, a corticosteroid, a methylxanthine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), nedocromil sodium, cromolyn sodium, a long-acting beta2 agonist (LABA), an anti-fungal agent, and a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each secondary dose is administered 1 to 8 weeks after the immediately preceding dose.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 8 secondary doses of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds an interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) are administered to the subject, and wherein each secondary dose is administered 1 week after the immediately preceding dose.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expression level of one or more gene products selected from the group consisting of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), IgE, eotaxin-3, periostin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and YKL-40 is reduced in the subject relative to baseline expression.

10. A method for the treatment of persistent asthma that reduces or eliminates an asthma patient's dependence on inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and/or long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) for the treatment of one or more asthma exacerbations comprising:

(a) selecting a patient with persistent asthma who has moderate-to-severe asthma that is uncontrolled with a background asthma therapy comprising an ICS, a LAB A, or a combination thereof;

(b) administering to the patient a defined dose of an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to an Interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) at a defined frequency for an initial treatment period while maintaining the patient's background asthma therapy for the initial treatment period; and

(c) gradually reducing or eliminating the dosage of ICS and/or LABA administered to the patient over the course of a subsequent treatment period while continuing to administer the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof at the defined frequency and dose used during the initial treatment period,

wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises heavy chain and light chain complementarity determining region (CDR) sequences from a heavy chain variable region (HCVR)/light chain variable region (LCVR) sequence pair of SEQ ID NOs: 162/164.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ICS is fluticasone, budesonide, or mometasone.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the LABA is salmeterol or formoterol.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ICS/LAB A combination is fluticasone/salmeterol, budesonide/formoterol, or mometasone/formoterol.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dosage of LABA is eliminated at the end of the initial treatment period.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dosage of LABA and/or ICS is gradually reduced or eliminated over the course of 2 to 8 weeks.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain comprising heavy chain complementarity determining region (HCDR) sequences of SEQ ID NOs:148, 150, and 152, respectively, and a light chain comprising light chain complementarity determining region (LCDR) sequences of SEQ ID NOs:156, 158, and 160, respectively.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the doses comprises 75 mg to 600 mg of the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered to the subject systemically, subcutaneously, intravenously, or intranasally.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the expression level of one or more gene products selected from the group consisting of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), IgE, eotaxin-3, periostin, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and YKL-40 is reduced in the subject relative to baseline expression.