METHODS OF TREATING NON-RADIOGRAPHIC AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS USING INTERLEUKIN-17 (IL-17) ANTAGONISTS

1 - 28 . (canceled)

29 . A method of treating a patient having non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), comprising administering an effective amount of an Interleukin-17 (IL-17) antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof, wherein the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof binds to an epitope of an IL-17 homodimer having two mature IL-17 protein chains, said epitope comprising Leu74, Tyr85, His86, Met87, Asn88, Val124, Thr125, Pro126, Ile127, Val128, His129 on one chain and Tyr43, Tyr44, Arg46, Ala79, Asp80 on the other chain, wherein the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof has a K D of about 100-200 pM, and wherein the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof has an in vivo half-life of about 4 weeks.

30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient has severe nr-axSpA or moderate to severe nr-axSpA.

31 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient has active nr-axSpA as assessed by:

a) total BASDAI≥4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline, spinal pain as measured by BASDAI question number 2≥4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline, and total back pain as measured by VAS≥40 mm (0-100 mm) at baseline; or

b) total BASDAI≥4 cm (0-10 cm) at baseline.

32 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient has nr-axSpA according to the ASAS axSpA criteria.

33 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein:

a) the patient has had inflammatory back pain for at least three months prior to treatment with the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof,

b) the onset of the inflammatory back pain of a) occurred before the patient was 45 years old, and

c) the patient has MRI evidence of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) inflammation and has at least one SpA feature or the patient is HLA-B27 positive and has at least two SpA features.

34 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient has objective signs of inflammation as indicated by:

a) elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels;

b) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of SIJ inflammation;

c) MRI evidence of SIJ inflammation determined according to the Berlin SIJ scoring method; and/or

d) MRI evidence of inflammation of the spine.

35 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient does not satisfy the radiological criterion according to the modified New York diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis.

36 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient previously failed to respond to, or had an inadequate response to, treatment with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or treatment with a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor (TNF-IR).

37 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the patient has not been previously treated with a TNF-alpha inhibitor (TNF-naïve).

38 . The method according to claim 29 , further comprising administering to the patient cyclosporine, hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, an NSAID, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, prednisolone, prednisone, or methylprednisolone.

39 . The method according to claim 29 , comprising administering the patient about 75 mg-about 300 mg of the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof by subcutaneous injection at weeks 0, 1, 2 and 3, followed by once monthly dosing starting at week 4.

40 . The method according to claim 29 , comprising monthly administering the patient about 75 mg-about 300 mg of the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof by subcutaneous injection.

41 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises:

i) an immunoglobulin heavy chain variable domain (V H ) comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:8;

ii) an immunoglobulin light chain variable domain (V L ) comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:10;

iii) an immunoglobulin V H domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:8 and an immunoglobulin V L domain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:10;

iv) an immunoglobulin V H domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, and SEQ ID NO:3;

v) an immunoglobulin V L domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6;

vi) an immunoglobulin V H domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:13;

vii) an immunoglobulin V H domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, and SEQ ID NO:3 and an immunoglobulin V L domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6;

viii) an immunoglobulin V H domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:13 and an immunoglobulin V L domain comprising the hypervariable regions set forth as SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6;

ix) an immunoglobulin light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:14;

x) an immunoglobulin heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:15; or

xi) an immunoglobulin light chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:14 and an immunoglobulin heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:15.

42 . The method according to claim 41 , wherein the IL-17 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is secukinumab.

43 . A method of treating a patient having axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), comprising administering the patient about 150 mg of secukinumab by subcutaneous injection at weeks 0, 1, 2 and 3, followed by once monthly dosing starting at week 4.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the patient has severe active axSpA.

45 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the patient has objective signs of inflammation, as indicated by CRP and/or MRI.

46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the patient does not have radiographic evidence of ankylosing spondylitis.

47 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the patient previously had an inadequate response to, or was intolerant to, treatment with an NSAID and/or treatment with a TNF-alpha inhibitor.

48 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the patient has not been previously treated with a TNF-alpha antagonist.