Cachexia treatment
Administration of an antibody that specifically binds IL-1α is useful for treating cachexia and increasing the lifespan of a subject suffering from cachexia.
1. A method of treating cachexia in a human subject suffering from cachexia, the method comprising the step of administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and an amount of an anti-interlukin-1 alpha (IL-1α ) antibody (Ab) effective to increase the subject's lean body mass, body weight, appetite, or muscle mass; wherein the subject's lean body mass, body weight, appetite, or muscle mass is increased, thereby treating cachexia.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anti-IL-1α Ab is a monoclonal antibody (mAb).
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mAb is an IgG 1.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mAb comprises a complementarity determining region of MABp 1.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mAb is MABp 1.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lean body mass of the subject is increased after administration of the pharmaceutical composition.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject's body weight is increased after administration of the pharmaceutical composition.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject's appetite is improved after administration of the pharmaceutical composition.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has end-stage cancer.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject's muscle mass is increased after administration of the pharmaceutical composition.
11. A method of increasing survival of a human subject having cachexia, the method comprising the step of administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and an amount of an anti-IL-1α Ab effective to increase the survival of the subject by at least 10% compared to the predicted survival of the subject if the subject were not treated with the pharmaceutical composition.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the anti-IL-1α Ab is a mAb.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mAb is MABp1.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the subject has end-stage cancer.