摘要 |
IL-18 participates in both innate and acquired immunity. The bioactivity of IL-18 is negatively regulated by the IL-18 binding protein (IL18BP), a naturally occurring and highly specific inhibitor. This soluble protein forms a complex with free IL-18 preventing its interaction with the IL-18 receptor, thus neutralizing and inhibiting its biological activity. The present invention discloses binding molecules, in particular antibodies or fragments thereof, which bind IL-18 and do not bind IL-18 bound to IL-18BP (IL-18/IL-18BP complex). Apart from its physiological role, IL-18 has been shown to mediate a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The binding molecules of the inventions may be used as therapeutic molecules for treating IL-18- related autoimmune and inflammatory diseases or as diagnostic tools for characterizing, detecting and/or measuring IL-18 not bound to IL-18BP as component of the total IL-18 pool. |
申请人 |
NOVARTIS AG |
发明人 |
BARDROFF, Michael Otto;BRANNETTI, Barbara;CAMPBELL, Emma Michelle;DIEFENBACH-STREIBER, Beate;EBERTH, Adina;KUNZ, Christian Carsten Silvester;MARSHALL, Sylwia;RONDEAU, Jean-Michel Rene;SCHLAEPPI, Jean-Marc Alfred;VAN HEEKE, Gino Anselmus |