MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TO HUMAN NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER AND ITS ANTIGEN

摘要

The present invention is concerned with novel monoclonal antibodies which define a glycolipid antigen associated with human non-small cell lung carcinomas ("NSCLC") and certain other human carcinomas. The antibodies bind to normal human cells to a much lesser degree than to tumor cells. The antibodies find use in diagnostic methods such as the detection of malignant cells associated with NSCLC and in therapeutic methods. Also disclosed in a novel glycolipid antigen. The invention also comprises a method for determining the presence of a malignant condition in lung tissue and other human tissue. The method involves examining the human tissue for the presence of a glycolipid antigen having the terminal carbohydrate sequence: GalNAc beta l->4Gal beta l->3GalNAc beta l->4Gal beta l->R.