Method of treating skin inflammation

• US 7,501,247 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Schering Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Erin, Kastelein, Robert A., McClanahan, Terrill K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nickol; Gary B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STANFIELD, CHERIE MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US11/120,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20050244874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/6.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/06 Antipsoriatics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/00 Drugs for skeletal disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/02 Immunomodulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6883 for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/158 Expression markers

Abstract

Provided are methods for diagnosing the propensity of a subject to develop skin inflammation, in particular, psoriasis. Also provided are methods of treatment with antagonists of IL-17 and/or IL-23.

Claims

1. A method of treating skin inflammation in a subject comprising:

a) measuring IL-17A, IL-17F, or both, in a non-lesional psoriatic skin sample from said subject using real-time PCR,

b) determining that said subject exhibits at least 5-fold higher expression of IL-17A, IL-17F, or both compared to a normal skin sample, and

c) administering an antagonist of IL-23 to effectively treat skin inflammation in said subject wherein said antagonist is an antibody or binding fragment thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the skin inflammation is cutaneous inflammation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cutaneous inflammation is psoriasis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody or binding fragment thereof is a monoclonal antibody or binding fragment thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody or binding fragment thereof is a humanized antibody or binding fragment thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody or binding fragment thereof is a human antibody or binding fragment thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the treating of skin inflammation comprises prophylactic treatment.