Cornell University

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Cynthia Magro

Jochen Buck

Lonny Levin

Jonathan Zippin

Lonny R Levin

The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, compositions containing an inhibitor of human complement and/or an inhibitor of interferon alpha, and the use of the compositions in methods for treating or preventing Degos' disease in a subject. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is an antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, that binds to a human complement component C5 protein or to a biologically-active fragment of C5 such as C5a or C5b. In some embodiments, the inhibitor is an antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, that binds to interferon alpha or to an interferon alpha receptor.

Methods for treating multiorgan, systemic degos' disease with a complement inhibitor

The invention provides a method for diagnosing a melanocytic proliferation in a subject comprising staining a sample of lesional melanocytes with an antibody against soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) and interpreting the sAC staining pattern, which is associated with a diagnosis of a melanocytic proliferation. The sAC staining pattern, which is complex, is discriminatory and distinctive according to the nature of the melanocytic proliferation. The sAC staining pattern comprises one or more of dot-like Golgi staining, broad granular Golgi staining, diffuse cytoplasmic staining, nucleolar staining, incomplete granular nuclear staining, and pan-nuclear staining. The method of the invention is particularly useful in confirming or disaffirming a diagnosis reached through conventional histologic examination of a sample. Additionally, the invention provides a kit for use in interpreting melanocytic proliferations.

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New York, NY, United States of America

Cynthia Magro