IL-18 binding molecules

US9376489B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Novartis AG · CH

Inventors

• Michael Bardroff · Soest, DE
• Barbara Brannetti · Basel, CH
• Emma Michelle Campbell · Kingston upon Thames, GB
• Beate Diefenbach-Streiber · Windach, DE
• Adina Eberth · Munich, DE
• Christian Carsten Silvester KUNZ · Munich, DE
• Sylwia Marshall · Epsom, GB
• Jean-Michel Rene Rondeau · Rixheim, FR
• Jean-Marc Schlaeppi · Allschwil, CH
• Gino Van Heeke · Gainesville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 4, 2013
• Grant date: Jun 28, 2016
• Expiry date: Sep 4, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2333/54
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Interleukin 18 (IL-18) participates in both innate and acquired immunity. The bioactivity of IL-18 is negatively regulated by the IL-18 binding protein (IL18BP), a naturally occurring and highly specific inhibitor. This soluble protein forms a complex with free IL-18 preventing its interaction with the IL-18 receptor, thus neutralizing and inhibiting its biological activity. The present invention discloses binding molecules, in particular antibodies or fragments thereof, which bind IL-18 and do not bind IL-18 bound to IL-18BP (IL-18/IL-18BP complex). Apart from its physiological role, IL-18 has been shown to mediate a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The binding molecules of the inventions may be used as therapeutic molecules for treating IL-18-related autoimmune and inflammatory diseases or as diagnostic tools for characterizing, detecting and/or measuring IL-18 not bound to IL-18BP as component of the total IL-18 pool.