Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

James A Wilkins

Stephen P Squinto

Louis A Matis

Steven H Nye

Eileen Elliott Mueller

Russell P Rother

Scott A Rollins

Michael J Lenardo

Mark James Evans

Jeremy P Springhorn

Henry McFarland

John P Mueller

Clara M Pelfrey

Thomas C Thomas

Yi Wang

Eileen Mueller

Compositions and methods are provided for the clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of multiple sclerosis. The compositions of the invention are molecules related to the 21.5 kDa fetal isoform of human myelin basic protein, and include nucleic acids and polypeptides. The nucleic acid molecules of the invention are useful in the efficient production of modified and unmodified 21.5 kDa myelin basic protein polypeptides, such polypeptides being useful for assaying T cells for responsiveness to myelin basic protein epitopes. The polypeptides of the invention are also useful as therapeutic agents that act by inducing T cell responses, including apoptosis, as a means of treating multiple sclerosis.

Modified myelin basic protein molecules

The use of anti-C5 antibodies, e.g., monoclonal antibodies, to treat glomerulonephritis (GN) is disclosed. The administration of such antibodies at low dosage levels has been found to significantly reduce glomerular inflammation/enlargement and other pathologic conditions associated with GN. Also disclosed are anti-C5 antibodies and anti-C5 antibody-encoding nucleic acid molecules. These antibodies are useful in the treatment of GN and other inflammatory conditions involving pathologic activation of the complement system.

C5-specific antibodies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases

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Woodbridge, CT, United States of America

James A Wilkins