Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2, inhibitors thereof and use of the same in diagnosis and therapy

• US 6,177,257 B1
• Filed: 04/20/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smithkline Beechman
• Inventors: Gloger, Israel Simon, Hickey, Deirdre Mary Bernadette, Southan, Christopher Donald, Tew, David Graham, Rice, Simon Quentyn John, Lawrence, Geoffrey Mark Prouse, Macphee, Colin Houston
• Primary Examiner(s): Stole, Einar
• Application Number:
  US09/294,384
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 435/18, 435/7.4, 435/7.1, 435/198
• US Class Current: 435/7.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/005 Enzyme inhibitors protease inhibitors A61K38/55
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/10 for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/18 Carboxylic ester hydrolases (3.1.1)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/20 Triglyceride splitting, e.g. by means of lipase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/44 involving esterase
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/323 Arteriosclerosis, Stenosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/324 Coronary artery diseases, e.g. angina pectoris, myocardial infarction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6893 related to diseases not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/81 Packaged device or kit

Abstract

The enzyme Lp-PLA₂ in purified form, an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Lp-PLA₂, the use of an inhibitor of the enzyme Lp-PLA₂ in therapy and a method of screening compounds to identify those compounds which inhibit the enzyme.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosis of a patient'"'"'s susceptibility to atherosclerosis which comprises taking a sample of blood from the patient and analyzing said sample for the presence of the enzyme lipoprotein phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂) using polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies raised against the enzyme, wherein elevated levels of Lp-PLA₂ in said sample are indicative of the patient being susceptible to atherosclerosis.