The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Health

Markus Neurath

Warren Strober

Ivan J Fuss

The present invention provides a method for treating the inflammatory response of an established colitis in a subject with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising administering to a subject diagnosed with an established colitis from an IBD an amount of an antibody to interleukin-12 effective in reducing the colitis-inducing effect of interleukin-12. Also provided is a method for screening a substance for its effectiveness in reducing the inflammatory response of an established colitis comprising obtaining an animal having an established colitis; administering the substance to an animal; and assaying the animal for an effect on interleukin-12 which results in the reduction of the inflammatory response of the colitis, an amount of reduction of the inflammatory response greater than the amount of reduction produced by the administration of antibodies against interferon-gamma or tumor necrosis factor-alpha indicating an effective substance. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for screening a substance for its effectiveness in preventing inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering the substance to an animal susceptible to colitis; subjecting the animal to a treatment that will induce a colitis; assaying the animal for the development of a colitis; and comparing the effectiveness of the substance in preventing development of a colitis to the effectiveness of antibodies to interferon-gamma or tumor necrosis factor-alpha in preventing development of a colitis, a substance more effective in preventing the development of a colitis than antibodies to interferon-gamma or tumor necrosis factor-alpha indicating an effective substance.

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Mainz, Germany

Markus Neurath