Methods of reducing IL-6 activity for disease treatment
The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising second-generation molecules that are superior than TOCILIZUMAB, by altering the amino acid sequences of the variable and constant regions of TOCILIZUMAB, which is a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor IgG1 antibody, to enhance the antigen-neutralizing ability and increase the pharmacokinetics, so that the therapeutic effect is exerted with a less frequency of administration, and the immunogenicity, safety and physicochemical properties (stability and homogeneity) are improved. The present invention also provides methods for producing these pharmaceutical compositions. The present inventors have successfully generated second-generation molecules that are superior to TOCILIZUMAB by appropriately combining amino acid sequence alterations in the CDR domains, variable regions, and constant regions.
1. A method for treating an IL-6-associated inflammatory disease or condition, or an IL-6-associated autoimmune disease or condition, the method comprising administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody to a subject in need thereof, wherein the antibody comprises
(a) a heavy chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6; and
(b) a light chain variable region that comprises CDR1 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, CDR2 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14, and CDR3 comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15,
wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has an inflammatory disease or inflammatory condition.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has an autoimmune disease or autoimmune condition.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has a disease or condition selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Castleman's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus nephritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, vasculitis, Kawasaki disease, Still's disease, amyloidosis, multiple sclerosis, age-related macular degeneration, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), IgA nephropathy, osteoarthritis, asthma, diabetic nephropathy, GVHD, endometriosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), arteriosclerosis, sepsis, uveitis, chronic thyroiditis, delayed hypersensitivity, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, panuveitis, anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, scleritis, keratitis, orbital inflammation, optic neuritis, diabetic retinopathy, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has optic neuritis.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has rheumatoid arthritis.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has osteoarthritis.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has ankylosing spondylitis.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has vasculitis.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has polymyositis.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has Still's disease.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has asthma.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD).
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has sepsis.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has Castleman's disease.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has Crohn's disease.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has ulcerative colitis.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has multiple sclerosis.
22. A method for treating an IL-6-associated inflammatory disease or condition, or an IL-6-associated autoimmune disease or condition, the method comprising administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody to a subject in need thereof, wherein the antibody comprises
(a) a heavy chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20 and
(b) a light chain variable region comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23,
wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the subject has optic neuritis.
24. A method for treating an IL-6-associated inflammatory disease or condition, or an IL-6-associated autoimmune disease or condition, the method comprising administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody to a subject in need thereof, wherein the antibody comprises
(a) a heavy chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 26 and
(b) a light chain comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 29,
wherein the pharmaceutical composition is administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the subject has optic neuritis.