TRANSGENIC ANIMALS EXPRESSING CHIMERIC ANTIBODIES FOR USE INPREPARING HUMAN ANTIBODIES

摘要

The invention provides transgene constructs for expressing chimeric
antibodies, and transgenic non-human host animals carrying such constructs,
wherein the chimeric antibodies comprise human variable regions and constant
regions of the non-human transgenic host animal. The presence of
immunoglobulin constant regions of the host animal allows for generation of
improved antibodies in such transgenic host animals. Subsequently, the
chimeric antibodies can be readily converted to fully human antibodies using
recombinant DNA techniques. Thus, the invention provides compositions and
methods for generating human antibodies in which chimeric antibodies raised in
vivo in transgenic mice are used as intermediates and then converted to fully
human antibodies in vitro.