Cytokine antagonist molecules

• US 7,622,555 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ares Trading SA (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ares Trading SA (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Boschert, Ursula, Fagan, Richard Joseph, Chvatchko, Yolande, Power, Christine, Davids, Andrew Robert, Phelps, Christopher Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao; Manjunath N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafer; Shulamith H
• Application Number:
  US10/706,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 530/351
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/00 Drugs for disorders of the metabolism of the blood or the extracellular fluid A61P7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/00 Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/00 Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/70503 Immunoglobulin superfamily

Abstract

This invention relates to a novel protein (INSP052), herein identified as an immunoglobulin domain-containing cell surface recognition molecule and to the use of this proteins and nucleic acid sequences from the encoding gene in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease. The invention also relates to the identification of the extracellular domain of INSP052.

Claims

1. An isolated polypeptide, which

comprises the amino acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO:

16 or SEQ ID NO;

26,

wherein the polypeptide functions as an antagonist of cytokine expression and/or secretion of a cytokine selected from the group consisting of TNF-α

, IL-4 IL-2, IL-6, IL-5, and IL-10.

2. An isolated ligand which binds specifically to, and which inhibits the activity of a polypeptide of claim 1.

3. An isolated ligand according to claim 2, which is an antibody.

4. A An isolated compound that either increases or decreases the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide according to claim 1, compared to the level of expression or activity of the polypeptide in the absence of the compound.

5. An isolated polypeptide according to claim 1 for use in therapy of an inflammatory or autoimmune liver disease.

6. An isolated compound according to claim 4 wherein said compound increases the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide of claim 1 for use in therapy of an inflammatory or autoimmune liver disease.

13. An isolated polypeptide according to claim 1 or claim 7 fused to a heterologous polypeptide.

14. An isolated ligand which binds specifically to, and which inhibits the activity of a polypeptide of claim 13.

15. An isolated ligand according to claim 14, which is an antibody.

16. An isolated compound that either increases or decreases the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide according to claim 13, compared to the level of expression or activity of the polypeptide in the absence of the compound.

17. An isolated polypeptide according to claim 13 for use in therapy of an inflammatory or autoimmune liver disease.

18. An isolated compound according to claim 16 wherein said compound increases the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide of claim 13, for use in therapy of an inflammatory or autoimmune liver disease.

7. An isolated polypeptide, which consists of the amino acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO:

16, SEQ ID NO;

26, SEQ ID NO;

20;

or SEQ ID NO;

22, wherein the polypeptide functions as an antagonist of cytokine expression and/or secretion of a cytokine selected from the group consisting of TNF-α

, IL-4 and IL-2, IL-6, IL-5, and IL-10.

8. An isolated ligand which binds specifically to, and which inhibits the activity of a polypeptide of claim 7.

9. An isolated ligand according to claim 8, which is an antibody.

10. An isolated compound that either increases or decreases the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide according to claim 7, compared to the level of expression or activity of the polypeptide in the absence of the compound.

11. An isolated polypeptide according to claim 7 for use in therapy of an inflammatory or autoimmune liver disease.

12. An isolated compound according to claim 10 wherein said compound increases the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide of claim 7 for use in therapy of an inflammatory or autoimmune liver disease.