Fully Human Antibodies Targeting Skin Cancer
This invention provides human monoclonal antibodies and their functional fragments that specifically bind to a key melanoma-associated antigen. The technology can be used to diagnose and treat melanoma and other cancers that express this antigen.
Description
The invention utilizes isolated human monoclonal antibodies and functional fragments that specifically bind to the high molecular weight-melanoma associated antigen (HMW-MAA). The HMW-MAA is a protein found on the surface of melanoma cells and is a target for immunotherapy. However, HMW-MAA is often poorly immunogenic in patients. The disclosed technology overcomes this limitation by providing antibodies that specifically target this antigen, which can then be used in diagnostics and therapeutics. The invention includes the nucleic acids that encode these antibodies and the expression vectors and host cells that produce them.Applications
- A diagnostic kit for detecting HMW-MAA in biological samples such as serum or tissue.- Immunotherapy treatments for melanoma.
- Diagnostic and therapeutic applications for breast cancer, prostate cancer, glioma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Advantages
- Provides a method to specifically detect the HMW-MAA in a biological sample.- Offers a means to diagnose or confirm a diagnosis of cancer.
- Can be used to treat subjects with cancer.
- Overcomes the poor immunogenicity of the HMW-MAA, making it a viable target for immunotherapy.
- The antibodies are fully human, reducing the potential for adverse immune reactions.
Invention Readiness
The technology is at a preclinical stage of development. Data from in vitro studies using human melanoma and other cancer cell lines, and in vivo studies in mice, demonstrated the antibodies' ability to bind to the target antigen and inhibit tumor growth. Further studies would be needed to advance the technology toward human clinical trials.IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US9694061B2Related Publication(s)
Hamby, C. V., Chinol, M., Palestro, C. J., Manzo, C., & Ferrone, S. (1998). Improved tumor targeting of rhenium-186-labeled anti-human high-m.w. melanoma-associated antigen monoclonal antibody 763.74 following purification with anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody MK2–23. International Journal of Cancer, 78(4), 486–490. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19981109)78:4<486::aid-ijc15>3.0.co;2-4