COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATMENT OF AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, USING A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TO THE INTERLEUKIN-12 BETA2-CHAIN

摘要

Monoclonal antibodies are provided that can bind to the IL12R beta 2 chain expressed on the cell surface of human T lymphocytes, where said binding prevents IL12R beta 2 chain-mediated STAT4 phosphorylation, and/or said binding prevents the IL12R beta 2 chain from the formation of a complex with other membrane-associated proteins, and/or said binding prevents the IL12R beta 2 chain from dimerisation to the IL12R beta 1 chain. The antibodies may be combined with autoantigens or with antibodies to co-stimulatory receptors on T cells or antigen presenting cells. These antibodies and their combinations are also provided as pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.