A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY-BASED DIAGNOSTIC ASSAY FOR GAMMA FIBRINOGEN

摘要

The present invention relates to the novel finding that elevated plasma levels of gamma A/ gamma ' are an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. The invention therefore includes a method and diagnostic kit for the detection of gamma A/ gamma ' levels in patients. The kit preferably contains an antibody molecule or fragment thereof that is capable of specifically immunoreacting with a binding site in gamma A/ gamma '. Most preferably, the monoclonal antibody is capable of immunoreacting with the twenty carboxyl terminal amino acids of the gamma ' chain of gamma A/ gamma '.