KR100372958B1 - Methods and compositions for changing the stereomorphic form of multiple epitope antigens to initiate an immune response - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and composition for initiating and / or enhancing an immune response by contacting a binding reagent with a soluble antigen, wherein the binding reagent-antigen pair generates an immune response against the antigen.

Description

Methods and Compositions for Changing Conformation of Multiple Epitope Antigens to Initiate an Immune Response

All vertebrates have an immune system. Vertebrate defense ability against infectious microorganisms, toxins, viruses or other foreign macromolecules is said to be immune. Immunity is highly specific and this immunity is an important feature of the immune response. Many reactions of the immune system initiate the destruction and elimination of invading organisms and toxic molecules produced by them. Because the nature of these immune responses is inherently disruptive, the response needs to be precisely limited to foreign molecules, not molecules of the host itself. The ability to distinguish between foreign and own molecules is another important feature of the immune system.

There is a distinction in the art between natural and acquired or specific immunity. Natural immunity consists of defense mechanisms, which are active prior to exposure to microorganisms or foreign macromolecules, are not augmented by such exposure, and do not distinguish most substances that are foreign to the body. Effectors of natural immunity are physical barriers such as skin or mucous membranes, phagocytes such as macrophages or neutrophils, and one lymphocyte class and complement system called natural killer cells. Complement is a serum protein complex that is disruptive to certain bacterial and other cells synthesized by specific complement-fixed antibodies, the activity of which leads to proteolytic cleavage, following one or more of the two or more pathways Is caused by a series of interactions that can occur.

In vertebrates, the mechanisms of natural and specific immunity work together in the immune system, the host defense system, to eliminate foreign invaders. In addition to microorganisms, cancer cells, parasites and virus infected cells, the immune system also recognizes and removes cells or tissues transplanted into a subject from genetically different individuals of the same species (homologous graft) or different species (heterologous graft).

Acquired or specific immunity includes a defense mechanism that is induced or stimulated by exposure to a foreign substance. Events in which the mechanism of specific immunity is involved in the defense against foreign substances are called immune responses. Vertebrate animals have two broad classes of immune responses: antibody response or humoral immunity, and cell mediated response or cellular immunity. Humoral immunity is provided by B lymphocytes, which, after proliferation and differentiation, produce B antibodies that also circulate blood and lymph fluid (also known as immunoglobulins). These antibodies bind specifically to the antigen that induced them. Binding by antibodies inactivates foreign substances such as viruses by blocking the ability of a substance to bind to a receptor on a target cell. Humoral responses primarily defend against the extracellular phase of bacterial and viral infections. In a humoral reaction, the serum can deliver the reaction alone, and the effector of the reaction is a soluble protein molecule called an antibody.

Cellular immunity, the second class of immune responses, involves the production of specialized cells, such as T lymphocytes, that react with foreign antigens on the surface of other host cells. Cellular immune responses are particularly effective against fungi, parasites, intracellular viral infections, cancer cells and other foreign substances. Indeed, the vast majority of T lymphocytes function in the immune system and enhance or inhibit other leukocyte responses. These cells, respectively named helper T cells and suppressor T cells, are collectively referred to as regulatory cells. Other T lymphocytes, termed cytotoxic TT cells, kill virus infected cells. T cells and B lymphocytes are directly involved in the defense against infection and are collectively called effector cells.

The timing of the immune response is subdivided into recognition stages in which specific lymphocytes recognize foreign antigens, activation stages in which specific lymphocytes respond to foreign antigens, and effector stages in which the antigen-activated lymphocytes mediate the action required to remove antigens. Lymphocytes are immune cells specialized for mediating and eliciting specific immune responses. T cells and B cells are morphologically distinct only after they are stimulated by the antigen.

The immune system has evolved to allow the host to recognize surface features of large molecules that are not normal components. As mentioned earlier, foreign molecules recognized by the immune system (i.e., bound by antibodies) are called "antigens" regardless of whether they can induce a response on their own and are the part of the antigen to which the antibody binds. Is termed an "antigen determinant" or an "epitope". Some antigens, such as tumor associated antigens such as ovarian cancer or breast cancer antigens, have multiple antibody binding sites. These antigens are named "multi-epitope" antigens. If the antigen is a polypeptide, it is common to classify the epitopes either linear (ie, consisting of contiguous sequences of amino acids repeated along the polypeptide chain) or non-linear (ie, consisting of closely located amino acids as a result of folding of the polypeptide chains). . Nonlinear epitopes are also named "couformational" because they appear in special conformations, ie unique three-dimensional forms, through the folding of polypeptide chains. Due to the highly specific nature of antibody-antigen binding, the primary means of differentiating antigens or various epitopes in the same antigen is by antibody binding properties.

To cope with epitopes with a wide variety of encounters, the mammalian individual's immune system contains a repertoire of about 2 x 10 ¹² very large lymphocytes. Each lymphocyte clone of the repertoire contains surface receptors specific for one epitope. It is assumed that the mammalian immune system can distinguish more than 10 ⁸ different antigenic determinants. Even a single antigenic determinant will generally activate multiple clones in which each clone produces an antigen binding site that has a unique affinity for the determinant. Antigens that stimulate the production of numerous antibody species, each produced by a different B cell clone, are believed to cause a polyclonal response. When only a few clones react, the reaction is referred to as oligoclonal, and when the entire reaction is made by one B or T cell, the reaction is said to be monoclonal. The response to most antigens is polyclonal.

The initial or primary immune response to foreign antigens enhances the immune system's ability to react to these antigens. This feature of specific immunity is termed immune memory or secondary immune response. Secondary immune responses are often more effective than primary immunity.

A common definition of antigen is a substance capable of generating specific antibodies or generating specific populations of lymphocytes that react with substances in vertebrate hosts. As is common in science, it is now known that this definition is accurate but not exhaustive. For example, some diseases are currently known to inhibit or inactivate host immune responses. Under these diseases, tumor antigens do not induce antibodies or generate specific lymphocytes. Thus, not all antigens can induce a human immune response.

Insufficient definition is described around two part aspects of the immune response: one step of the immune response is to recognize the presence of a foreign substance; The second step is a complex alignment or cascade of reactions , ie reaction . In the case of tumor antigens presented above, the immune system can recognize the presence of foreign antigens, but cannot react. In another example, the lack of the immune system's ability to distinguish between self and nonmagnetic is believed to be responsible for many autoimmune diseases. In other words, this is not a response but an inadequate perception.

Thus, as used herein, when an antigen can be recognized by the immune system, it is said to be antigenic. It is also called immunogenic if the immune system can elicit an active response to an antigen. Antigens that are immunogenic are generally large molecules (eg proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids) having a molecular weight of at least 5000 Daltons. Smaller non-immunogenic molecules, such as heptenes and small antigenic molecules, can stimulate an immune response when associated with carrier molecules of sufficient size.

Antibodies, effectors of humoral immunity, are secreted by plasma cells and are the most abundant component of the blood. Plasma cells are terminally mature cells that are believed to have a relatively short lifespan. They are produced when antigens enter the human immune system and activate B lymphocytes through a complex series of cellular interactions. Thereafter, B lymphocytes proliferate and differentiate to form plasma cells. Each B lymphocyte is programmed by its own DNA to produce antibody molecules with single specificity. B lymphocytes produce two special forms of this molecule, one typically anchored to the outer surface of the cell membrane as a membrane receptor for binding antigen to B cells, and the other secreted.

Antibodies (also known as immunoglobulins) are proteins. They have two main functions. The first is to recognize (bind) foreign antigens. The second is to mobilize other elements of the immune system to destroy foreign substances.

The antigen recognition construct of an antibody is a variable domain and is responsible for antigen binding. The immune system mobilizing construct, the second function of the antibody, is a constant domain, and these regions are diverse, including stimulating B cells for proliferation and differentiation, activating the complement cell lysis system, opsonizing, and inducing macrophages for phagocytosis of invaders. It is filled with the effect function. Antibodies with different isotypes have different constant domains and therefore have different effector functions. The best studied isotypes are IgG and IgM.

Antibodies themselves are oligomeric molecules classified according to structure into classes (eg IgG) and subclasses (eg IgG1). IgG molecules are the most important components of the humoral immune response and consist of two long (long) and two light (short) chains bound in a "Y" shape by disulfide bonds. The molecule has two variable regions (in the arm of "Y"). Variable regions are so named because antibodies of a particular subclass produced by a particular individual in response to different antigens will vary in the variable region rather than in the constant region. The variable region itself consists of both a relatively invariant framework and a hypervariable loop that confers antibodies to specificity for specific epitopes. The portion of the antibody that directly participates in the interaction is named "antigen binding site" or "paratope". Antigens bound by specific antibodies are termed "cognate antigens".

Since one animal's antibody will be considered a foreign antigen by another animal's immune system, it will induce an immune response. Some of the resulting antibodies will be specific for the specific epitope (genotype) of the variable region of the immunized antibody and are thus named anti-genotype antibodies. They often have immunological properties similar to those of antigens that are homologous to immunized antibodies. Anti-genotype antibodies, on the other hand, bind to epitopes in the constant region of an immunized antigen.

As mentioned above, cells that regulate cell mediated immunity are one class of lymphocytes called T lymphocytes. They ultimately arise from the same hepatocytes as B lymphocytes, but they occur after very different developmental pathways where the thymus plays an important role. T lymphocytes also express antigen specific surface receptors, although the way they recognize antigens is slightly different from B cells. T cells exist in two functional categories: those with specific effector functions (cytotoxic T lymphocytes or "CTLs") and those with regulatory functions. Regulatory T cells are required to generate plasma cells from B cells. T helper cells (TH) give rise to antigen specific upregulation of immune responses. The immune response can also undergo active antigen specific down regulation. Extensive evidence from studies with animals and regulatory cultures demonstrate the presence of a suppressor T cell population (TS) that provides this inhibition regulation.

Lymphocytes in a subject specifically respond to foreign antigens, but are generally not responsive to potential antigenic substances that are innate in the subject. Immunological non-responsiveness is termed resistance. Self-resistance is obtained when potential self-recognizing lymphocytes do not occur in contact with the self antigens, resulting in a positive response to the self antigens.

The immune system has two cytokine mediated regulatory pathways that determine whether the response to antigenic attack is primarily cellular response (TH1 pathway) or mainly humoral response (TH2 pathway). The cellular pathway is characterized by T helper cell production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) or interferon-γ. This pathway mediates the development and macrophage activation of cytotoxic T cells, a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response. The TH2 response promotes production by T cells of various cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). This reaction is confirmed by the production of high titers of specific antibodies.

The preponderance of either cell mediated or humoral immune responses is believed to be the result of cross regulation. Thus, TH1 cells will inhibit the induction of a TH2 response, for example by secretion of interferon-γ. In contrast, TH2-cells can inhibit the production of TH1-responses by producing cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10.

The TH2 response can actually exacerbate certain disease states. It is well known in the art that small infusions of immunized antigens preferentially induce delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions indicative of cell mediated immunity, whereas higher antigens elicit a more pronounced humoral immune response exhibited by high antibody titers. It is. However, it is difficult to avoid high IgG responses and achieve high long-term cellular responses by this method, and depending on the antigen, small doses may be insufficient to induce a sufficiently powerful CMI response.

Usually, the immune response proceeds with effector mechanisms characterized by B and T lymphocytes. However, during most immune responses, B or T lymphocytes play a dominant role, with little practical participation of individual other types of lymphocytes. The immune response in which the effector mechanism is predominantly mediated through B cells and antibodies is a humoral immune response. This response in which T cells mediate more important effector functions is a cell mediated or cellular immune response.

As mentioned above, cells that regulate humoral immunity are a class of lymphocytes called B cells. Each clone of B lymphocytes expresses a membrane immunoglobulin (membrane Ig, surface bound antibody molecule) that functions as an antigen receptor with one unique epitope for one B lymphocyte. These membrane Ig molecules are the only source of B cell specificity. Antigens containing epitopes complementary to the membrane Ig will bind to the antigen receptor. Such antigens are also termed cognate antigens of antibodies. Binding to the antigen receptor (membrane Ig) will result in differentiation and clonal proliferation of B lymphocytes. Some of its progeny will differentiate into mature plasma cells that are specialized in the synthesis of antibodies corresponding to epitope specificity to membrane Ig that initially binds B lymphocytes to antigen.

Binding of antigens to antibodies is reversible. It is mediated by a combination of a number of relatively weak non-covalent forces, including hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and ionic interactions. These weak forces are only effective if the antigen molecule is close enough to bring some of its atoms into the complementary potions on the surface of the antibody. Complementary regions of a four chain antibody unit are two identical antigen binding sites, and corresponding regions in the antigen are antigenic determinants. Many antigenic macromolecules have many different antigenic determinants.

Over the years, live, attenuated vaccines have been used to induce immunity against viral infections such as influenza and polio. These formulations contain live virions that cause minor asymptomatic infections of vaccinated individuals. During this infection, viral vectors will enter specific host cells and encode the synthesis of virus specific proteins. These endogenously produced antigenic proteins are processed into smaller peptides and provided in the context of MHC class I and II antigens, thereby replenishing TH1 cells and inducing cell mediated immune responses.

Tumor cells express specific cell surface antigens (“tumor related antigens”). Tumor-associated antigens are antigens present in the serum and tissue of cancer patients. Many such antigens are also expressed in embryonic tissues of healthy individuals and at low levels in tissues and serum. Many tissue related antigens are glycoproteins, glycolipids, or mucopolysaccharides. Most tumor antigens are produced by differentiated cells. They are produced in much greater quantities by tumor cells than differentiated normal cells. The human immune system recognizes tumor antigens as intrinsic antigens and does not respond (“self-resistant”). Although the mechanisms leading to self-resistance are only partially understood, it is now clear that this is mainly established during the development of the immune system. When immature B cells or T cells are stimulated through their antigen specific receptors at critical stages (eg, just after expressing these receptors on the cell surface but before maturation), they are induced to die rather than activate. do. This stage occurs in the bone marrow for B cells and in the thymus for T cells. Thus, resistance will be directed against autoantigens expressed in these environments, not antigens that are not expressed. Normal individuals have mature B cells capable of recognizing some autoantigens, but these B cells have been found to be inactive. It is believed that no suitable T helper cells (TH) are present.

For tumors with antigens, four or more theories exist about why the immune response cannot destroy tumors: 1) no B cells or cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) capable of recognizing tumors, 2) No TH cells capable of recognizing tumors, 3) TS cells are activated before TH cells, inhibiting B cell and CTL activation; And 4) genes that regulate tumor proliferation may be present from development. The host does not treat the gene product as "foreign".

Existing Solution

If the tumor antigen is deemed to have sufficient selectivity for the tumor (ie, the tumor antigen is absent or present only in small amounts for their normal cell counterparts), the tumor antigen may serve as a possible target for immunotherapeutic agents. .

Many such selective tumor antigens are in fact carbohydrates or glycoproteins (mucins). For example, most adenocarcinoma cells express and secrete mucin in abundance. This is due in part to a defect in glycosylation in cancer cells. Carcinoma cell surface mucins physically block immune effector mechanisms from approaching the tumor cell surface, ie tumor antigens. That is, the host does not recognize tumor antigens.

In many diseases, causative pathogens or toxins (eg, influenza, polio and rabies viruses; pneumococcal bacteria; diphtheria and tetanus toxin) are body fluids through antibodies that bind to the pathogen or toxin and spread their destruction inactivation It can be efficiently targeted and neutralized in extracellular fluid by the mechanism of sexual immunity. In these cases, vaccination with a formulation that probably elicits a humoral immune response mediated by TH2 is generally sufficient for defense. On the other hand, for many intracellular infections, recovery from viral infections and target lethality of cancer cells, it is cell mediated immunity that protects the organism against invaders.

Three classes of immunotherapy are currently under study: 1) passive immunotherapy, 2) active immunotherapy with antigens, and 3) active immunotherapy with antibodies. Unfortunately, each method has had limited success. However, immunotherapy is preferred over antiproliferative chemotherapeutic agents such as pyrimidine or purine analogs at certain stages of cancer. Analogs compete with pyrimidine and purine as building blocks used during the cell growth cycle. Analogs are not effective when growth is aperiodic or resting. The majority of micrometastatic cells are considered aperiodic or resting. The cytotoxic effects of immunotherapies work independently of the cell cycle.

"Passive immunotherapy" includes administering an antibody to a patient. Antibody therapies are usually characterized as passive because the patient is not a source of antibody. The term passive is misleading because it allows the patient to produce anti-genic secondary antibodies that can stimulate an immune response that cross reacts with the native antigen. "Active immunotherapy" is the administration of an antigen in the form of a vaccine to a patient, inducing a protective immune response. Genetically modified tumor cell vaccines transfected with genes expressing cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules have also been used to mitigate the insufficiency of tumor specific immune responses.

I. Passive Immunotherapy (Antibody)

Tumor antigens can act as reaction sites to which antibodies can bind. Numerous antibodies have been directed against tumor antigens.

Conventional effector methods include complement dependent cytolysis (“CDC”), antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (“ADCC”) and phagocytosis (removal by the reticuloendothelial system after target cells have been coated with immunoglobulin).

Relatively high amounts of antibody are required to initiate CDC, ADCC and opsonization. In addition, the source of human antibodies is limited to those already suffering from the tumor of interest, it is unethical to introduce the disease into humans just to initiate production of antibodies that can be taken. As a result of these difficulties, antibodies having a source other than human, such as a mouse antibody, have been used.

When mouse antibodies are administered to humans, they are recognized as “foreign” and thus can induce human anti-mouse antibody responses (“HAMA”) directed to mouse specific and mouse isotype specific portions of the primary antibody molecule. have. This immune response occurs due to differences in major amino acid sequences in the constant regions of mouse and human immunoglobulins. Both IgG and IgM subclasses of HAMA have been detected. The IgG response occurs later, is longer than the typical IgM response, and is more resistant to clearance by plasma apoptosis.

Clinically, however, HAMA 1) increases the risk of hypersensitivity or seropathic response to subsequent administration of mouse antibodies, 2) forms complexes with antibodies, increases clearance from the body, reduces tumor localization and Enhance the absorption into the liver and spleen and / or conceal the tumor from the therapeutic agent, thereby interfering with the immunotherapeutic effects of subsequent injected mouse antibodies, 3) interfering with the immunodiagnostic agent, thereby progressing the progression and treatment of the disease. Can interfere with monitoring.

In various clinical trials, antibodies have been used as therapeutics for solid tumors. There was no consistent pattern of response or improved survival. In contrast, antibody treatment has more often led to complete and long term relief of B cell or T cell lymphoma or leukemia. Description of solid tumor insufficiency includes secondary effector molecules such as complement or effector cells as well as antigenic heterogeneity and insufficient access of epithelial cells to injected antibodies.

As an example of passive immunization, mouse monoclonal antibody 17-1A (isotype IgG2a) was used to target minimal residual disease in patients with Duke's stage C colorectal cancer who had undergone healing surgery and had no apparent residual tumor. Survival improved with treatment and decreased recurrence, but the results were less favorable than treatment with chemotherapeutic or radiation alone.

It is important to recognize that the target antigen for 17-1A does not flow out of the membrane and is not detectable in serum. [Refer to Riethm ller, et al., "Randomized trial of monoclonal antibody for adjuvant therapy of resected Dukes' C colorectal carcinoma", Lancet , 343: 1177-83 (1994)]

II. Active Specific Immunotherapy with Tumor Antigens (“ASI”)

ASI is defined as immunization with defined antigens presented in a suitable manner to actively induce an immune response specific for the antigen. In cancer, ASI attempts to induce a human immune response (both humoral and cellular) to attack tumor antigens.

Conventional effector methods of humoral response and CDC, ADCC and phagocytosis (removal by the reticuloendothelial system after target cells have been coated with immunoglobulin) have been discussed above.

Over the past five years, significant advances have been made in characterizing molecular complexes recognized by specific antigen receptors of T lymphocytes. The crystal structure of the class I major histocompatibility complex (“MHC”) molecules revealed the actual presence of these peptide grooves as well as putative peptide binding grooves. After phagocytosis, the protein synthesized intracellularly is broken down into peptides by cellular enzymes and transported to the endoplasmic reticulum, where it is combined with the heavy chains of class I MHC molecules. This peptide-MHC complex is stabilized by the addition of β2-microglobulin and transported to the cell surface where it can be recognized by receptors of CTL. In theory, antigenic peptides can be derived from any intracellular protein specifically expressed by tumor cells. See Van Der Bruggen, Pierre, "The Long-Standing Quest for Tumor Rejestion Antigens," Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology , 71; 3: 248-252 (1994)]

III. Active Specific Immunotherapy with Antibodies

When a specific antibody from one animal is injected as an immunogen into a suitable second animal, the injected antibody will induce an immune response (eg, an antibody generated against the injected antibody-"anti-antibody"). . Some of these anti-antibodies will be specific for the unique epitope (idotope) of the variable domain of the injected antibody. These epitopes are collectively known as genotypes of primary antibodies, and secondary (anti-) antibodies that bind to these epitopes are known as anti-genic antibodies. All idiotopes present in the variable portion of an antibody are termed the genotype of the antibody. Genotypes are serologically defined because injection of primary antibodies that bind epitopes of antigens can lead to the production of anti-genic antibodies. If the binding between the primary and anti-genotype antibodies is inhibited by the antigen from which the primary antibody is derived, the genotype is associated with the binding site or epitope. Other secondary antibodies will be specific for epitopes of the constant domains of the injected antibody and are known as anti-isotype antibodies. As used herein, anti-genic, anti-genic antibodies, epitopes or epitopes are used in the sense recognized in the art.

The "network" theory suggests that antibodies produced initially during an immune response will contain unique novel epitopes that are not resistant to organisms, thereby resulting in secondary antibodies (Ab2) induced against the genotype of the primary antibody (Ab1). Will induce production. Likewise, these secondary antibodies will have genotypes that induce the production of tertiary antibodies (Ab3) and the like.

Ab ₁ → Ab ₂ → Ab ₃

Network theory also suggests that some of these secondary antibodies (Ab2) will have a binding site that is the complement of the native antigen, thereby regenerating the "internal image" of the native antigen. In other words, the anti-genic antibody may be a surrogate antigen.

Conventional methods for cancer immunotherapy have been the administration of anti-tumor antibodies, i.e. antibodies that recognize epitopes in tumor cells. However, development of the "network" theory has suggested to researchers direct administration of exogenously produced anti-genetic antibodies, ie antibodies produced against the genotypes of anti-tumor antibodies. Such a method is described in US Pat. No. 5,053,224 to Koprowski, et al. Koprowski assumes that the body of the patient will produce anti-antibodies that recognize not only anti-genic antibodies but also native tumor epitopes.

There are four types of anti-genic antibodies. The alpha type binds to an epitope that is located away from the paratope of the primary antibody. The beta type is an antibody in which paratopes always mimic the epitopes of native antigens. The gamma type binds at a position close enough to the paratope of the primary antibody to interfere with antigen binding. The epsilon type recognizes genotype determinants that mimic the constant domain antigen structure. Moreover, anti-genotype antibodies may be heavy or light chain specific.

1) administration of Ab1 acting as an antigen to induce Ab2 production by the host; And 2) administration of Ab2, which functionally mimics tumor antigens, has been derived from network theory.

Active immunity in ovarian cancer patients by repeated intravenous application of the F (Ab ′) ₂ fragment of the monoclonal antibody OC125 has been reported to induce a significant anti-genetic antibody (Ab2) response in some patients. Preliminary results suggested that patients with high Ab2 serum levels had better survival than patients with low or no Ab2 serum concentrations. (Wagner, U. et al., "Clinical Course of Patients with Ovarian Carcinomas After Induction of Anti-idiotypic Antibodieds Against a Tumor-Associated Antigen," Tumor Diagnostic & Therapie , 11: 1-4, (1990)).

Human anti-genic monoclonal antibodies (Ab2) have been shown to induce anti-tumor cellular responses in animals and are believed to prolong survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. [Reference; Durrant, L.G. et al., "Enhanced Cell-Mediated Tumor Killing in Patients Immunized with Human Monoclonal Anti-IdiotypicAutibody 105AD7," Cancer Research, 54: 4837-4840 (1994)]. In addition, the use of anti-genic antibodies (Ab2) for immunotherapy of cancer is described by Battacharya-Chatterje et al. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 38: 75-82 (1994).

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for initiating and / or enhancing an immune response in the body.

1 shows the superior results obtained after immunizing mice with the compositions of the present invention as compared to other compositions.

FIG. 2 shows superior macrophage stimulation induced by the compositions of the present invention as compared to other compositions.

3 shows tumor cell lysis induced by administering the composition of the present invention.

Vaccines are formulations that are administered to animals or humans to prevent, treat or mitigate disease through induction of specific immunity. Prophylactic vaccines are administered to healthy individuals for the purpose of preparing or priming the immune system for more effective defense against future infections. In the case of infection or invasion, the immune system of the vaccinated individual can induce a secondary immune response and can recognize and eliminate each pathogen more quickly. Therapeutic vaccines are administered to a patient for the purpose of stimulating or modulating the immune system which itself induces an insufficiently efficient immune response or does not respond at all. When designing a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine, it is important to select a formulation that provides a first-line defense or elicits a type of immune response that can best result in rapid recovery.

The first step in initiating an immune response is to generate host recognition of the tumor antigen as a foreign antigen. For example, even if CA125 expression is associated with ovarian cancer, the patient's immune system does not recognize it as foreign. The present invention includes contacting a soluble antigen with a composition of the present invention and reacting the binder in the composition with the soluble antigen. According to the present invention, binding an antigen with a binding agent results in host recognition of the antigen. In turn, the generation of host recognition initiates an immune response to the antigen.

The present invention includes the discovery that binding a binding agent to a predetermined epitope of multiple epitope tumor associated antigens alters the antigen in such a way that the host immune system can recognize and initiate an immune response against previously unrecognized antigens. In one embodiment of the invention, the binding agent binds to soluble tumor associated antigens, causing the host immune system to generate a response to the antigen. For example, the present invention is exemplified by B43.13, an antibody binder that specifically binds to ovarian cancer antigen CA 125 in a 43.13 epitope. When B43.13 binds to a CA 125 antigen, the conformation of the antigen changes or the antigen is processed and / or delivered differently to the antigen recognized by the host immune system. Other examples include, but are not limited to, binding agents specifically binding to CA19.9, a gastrointestinal antigen associated with gastrointestinal cancer, and binding agents specifically binding to CA15.3, an antigen associated with breast cancer.

According to the present invention, there is provided a binder (s) and a composition comprising such a binder, wherein the binder selectively binds to a predetermined soluble antigen, and as a result of this binding a different epitope in the antigen is provided Different epitopes produce an immune response that inhibits or kills the cells that produced the antigen.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a composition comprising a predetermined antibody that specifically binds to a predetermined tumor associated antigen is used to bind to the soluble antigen produced by the tumor. Once the soluble antigen is bound, the immune system recognizes the antigen as "foreign", resulting in an immune response to the antigen or binding agent bound to the antigen. Antigens that can be made immunogenic are potentially useful for inducing or activating an immune response. This creates therapeutic and possibly prophylactic benefits.

For diseases that may be characterized by having tumor-associated antigens that are multiple epitopes, the present invention includes contacting soluble antigens with a binding agent that specifically binds to a single epitope in multiple epitope tumor-associated antigens.

The binding agent may be directed against any clinically important antigen, but is preferably directed against a tumor-associated antigen (TAA). For TAA, the cancer may have, but is not limited to, lungs, colon, rectum, breast, ovary, prostate, head, neck, bone, immune system, or other anatomical location. The subject may be a human or animal subject. Exemplary tumors and tumor markers are listed in US Pat. No. 5,075,218.

The method of the present invention is associated with any cancer that produces soluble multiple epitope TAAs. As used herein, the term soluble is used to refer to antigens detectable in body fluids, ie blood, serum, ascites, saliva and the like. According to the present invention, preferred tumors include tumors that release soluble tumor antigens, such as tumor antigens released into the bloodstream as opposed to surface antigens or intracellular antigens; Tumors exhibiting multiple epitope tumor associated antigens, preferably antigens having carbohydrate or glycoprotein (eg, mucin) properties; And tumors that can be found in the patient's body fluids above concentrations normally present in healthy controls, and this high level implies a poor prognosis for the patient and does not initiate an immune response. As is well known to those skilled in the art, one way to determine if the concentration of TAA exceeds that which is a precursor to disease recurrence is to compare the patient's TAA concentration with that of a healthy control. If the TAA concentration is higher than the healthy control, the patient's concentration is a precursor to poor prognosis of the disease.

As used herein, the term binding agent (BA) refers to a binding moiety capable of binding to a member of an immunological pair, for example a single epitope expressed on a tumor antigen. Typical binding agents include monoclonal antibodies ("MAb"), chimeric monoclonal antibodies ("C-MAb"), genetically engineered monoclonal antibodies ("G-MAb"), fragments of monoclonal antibodies ("F (Ab)) ₂ ", including, but not limited to," F (Ab) "and" Dab "), single chains (" SC-MAb ") representing the reactive portion of monoclonal antibodies, tumor binding peptides, effector functions among them There are those that bind to the mediating molecule, and mimetics thereof. The antibody may be a polyclonal antibody or a monoclonal antibody. If the subject is a human patient, the antibody can be obtained by immunizing an animal capable of eliciting a useful immune response against an antigen, such as a mouse, rat, goat, sheep, rabbit or other suitable laboratory animal. For monoclonal antibodies, hybridomas can be obtained that fuse antibody-producing cells of an immunized animal with "immortal" or "immortalized" human or animal cells to produce the antibody. If desired, the genes encoding one or more immunoglobulin chains can be cloned to generate antibodies in different host cells, and if desired, the genes are mutated to change the sequence, thereby changing the immunological properties of the resulting antibody. . Fragments or fragments of binders can be obtained by conventional techniques, such as proteolysis of binders using pepsin, papain, and the like, or by recombinant DNA techniques that clone the DNA encoding the desired fragment and express it in various hosts. Irradiation of the aforementioned materials, for example with ultraviolet light, will enhance the immune response to multiple epitope antigens under similar conditions. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, no effector function mediating CDC or ADCC is required.

In one embodiment of the invention, a suitable composition of ovarian tumor associated antigens contains a binding agent that binds to a CA 125 antigen. In another embodiment of the present invention, a suitable composition for gastrointestinal cancer contains a binder that binds to the CA 19.9 antigen. In another embodiment of the invention, a composition suitable for breast cancer contains a binding agent that binds to the CA 15.3 antigen. Various binders, antibodies, antigens, and methods of making, isolating, and using antibodies are described in US Pat. No. 4,471,057 (Kopowski) and US Pat. No. 5,075,218 (Jette et al.), Both patents herein. Is incorporated by reference. In addition, many of these antibodies are Sentocor, Abbott Laboratories, Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc. (Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc.), Sorin Biomedica and FujiRebio.

All compositions comprising a binder according to the invention can be used to initiate an immune response in vivo. The compositions of the present invention may comprise one or more adjuvants, one or more carriers, one or more excipients, one or more stabilizers, one or more imaging agents and / or physiologically acceptable salts. In general, adjuvants are substances mixed with an immunogen to elicit a more pronounced immune response. Control vaccination without adjuvant produced a humoral immune response. In addition, the composition of the present invention may include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include saline, sterile water, phosphate buffered saline, and the like. Other buffers, dispersants, and inert, nontoxic materials suitable for administration to a patient can be included in the compositions of the present invention. The composition of the present invention may be a solution suitable for administration and is typically sterile and free of undesirable particulate matter. The composition of the present invention can be sterilized by conventional sterilization techniques.

According to the methods of the invention, the binding agent must bind in contact with a tumor associated antigen and can be administered to the patient by any immunologically appropriate route. For example, the binder may be administered to the patient in the form of a solution, tablet or aerosol by intravenous, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intradermal, intramuscular or lymphatic routes. Liposomes, biodegradable microspheres, micelles and the like can also be used as carriers, vehicles or delivery systems. In addition, blood or serum from the patient is separated from the patient using in vitro procedures well known in the art; Optionally, it may be desirable to purify the antigen in the blood of the patient; The blood or serum can then be mixed with the composition comprising the conjugate according to the invention; The treated blood or serum can be returned to the patient. Clinicians can compare the anti-genotype and anti-isotype responses associated with these different routes in determining a more effective route of administration. The present invention should not be limited to any particular method of introducing the binder into the patient.

According to the present invention, BA-antigen interactions efficiently provide residual epitopes to the patient's immune system to generate the following two responses: 1) human anti-tumor antibodies that may or may not be inhibited by the injected antibody Or a humoral response that produces a human anti-tumor antibody that can be reliably inhibited by an antibody binding to an epitope that is different from the epitope that is reactive with the injected BA; And 2) cell mediated responses resulting in the generation of antigen specific cytotoxic T cells.

The binding agents of the invention bind to multiple epitope tumor antigens of interest, and the resulting immunogenic pairs can be used to prime or initiate an immune response against another epitope in the antigen. As mentioned in detail elsewhere herein, binding between the binder and multiple epitope antigens changes the conformation of the antigen to be sufficient to provide access to another previously unrecognizable epitope in the antigen. . A previously unrecognized epitope, once recognized by an agent of the immune system, opens an immune system cascade that results in an immune response to the entire antigen.

According to embodiments of the invention, cancer patients whose body fluids have endogenous and soluble multiple epitope antigens are treated by injecting exogenous binders directed against a single epitope of endogenous and soluble antigens. After binding, the antigen is altered or otherwise processed and / or delivered so that different epitopes in the antigen are provided to the patient's immune system. If provided, the patient's immune system initiates and develops a humoral, cellular or combined humoral / cellular response, resulting in tumor death and / or arrest. Evidence of the success of the present invention is shown in the examples as improved survival time.

Although not limited to this, it is believed that the mechanism of action for the method of the invention includes conformational changes in the portion of the soluble antigen bound by the binder according to the invention. It is also believed that binding the antigen with a binding agent derived for the first epitope in the antigen changes the conformation of the antigen to be sufficient to provide or activate the second epitope. It is this second epitope that the patient's immune system can respond to. Alternatively, binder-antigen interactions may result in specific metabolic processing or delivery to the immune system in a manner that activates the second epitope.

Volume

According to the methods of the invention, the composition comprising the binder may be administered in an amount sufficient to recognize and bind to a predetermined tumor associated antigen. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dose is sufficient to generate or elicit an immune response against TAA. The immunologically or therapeutically effective or acceptable amount of the binding agent is sufficient to bind the predetermined antigen in vivo or in vitro and should be capable of inducing an immune response against the antigen. The response inhibits or kills tumor cells that contain and provide a newly accessible epitope to ameliorate or relieve the disease or condition that produces the antigen. The immune response can take the form of a humoral response, a cell mediated response, or both. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dose of monoclonal antibody is less than that required to induce ADCC or CDC.

The concentration or dose of binder or active agent in the composition can vary widely, for example from less than about 0.01 weight percent to about 15 to 20 weight percent. As mentioned above, the compositions of the present invention are administered in an amount sufficient to stimulate an immune response to the antigen. The amount effective for such use will depend in part on the condition and the state of the patient's immune system. In general, the compositions of the present invention will comprise a dose of 0.1 μg to about 2 mg or more of binder per kg of body weight, more commonly from about 1 μg to about 200 μg per kg of body weight. The concentration will generally be at least 0.5%, and any amount may be selected based primarily on fluid volume, viscosity, antigenicity, etc., depending on the particular mode of administration.

Administration can be one or more times, preferably three times over an extended period of time. Excess binders may be administered if desired because the compositions of the present invention may be used for patients with severe disease, that is, life-threatening or potentially life-threatening. Methods and protocols for administering pharmaceutical compositions, including dilution techniques for infusion of the compositions of the present invention, are well known or will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Some of these methods and protocols are described in Remington's Pharmaceutical Science, Mack Publishing Co. (1982).

The binding agent may be administered in combination with other binding agents or in combination with other treatment protocols or agents, such as, for example, chemotherapeutic agents.

The efficiency of the binders of the present invention can be monitored in vivo or in vitro. Humoral responses can be monitored in vitro by conventional immunoassays, wherein the anti-tumor activity of the response can be measured by complement mediated cellular cytotoxicity and / or antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assays. Can be. Assay methods are well known and are described in Handbook of Experimental Immunology , Vol. 2, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1986). Other assays may relate to measuring antigen levels in a patient or tissue. Cell-mediated immunity is the development of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions or these, but not limited to, IL- It can be monitored in vivo by the development of in vitro or in vitro means known to those skilled in the art, including measuring the toxicity of the subject's lymphocytes to tumor cells by measuring plasma levels of 2.

Example

Example 1 Experimental Demonstration of the Development of Antibody Responses to Multiple Epitopes Present in Antigens by Injection of Antibodies Against a Single Epitope

Cancer antigen CA125 expressed against at least 80% epithelial ovarian cancer is used as an example to demonstrate the present invention.

CA 125 has in particular multiple epitopes recognized by different antibodies such as OC125, M11, B43.13, B27.1. In the present invention, MAb-B43.13 was used to elicit a CA125 specific immune response involving the recognition of B27.1 epitopes.

Methods : 86 ovarian cancer patients with active disease were tested for the presence of antibodies to CA125. There were no patients with antibodies to CA125 prior to infusion of MAb-B43.13. Patients received 2 mg of MAb-B43.13 at various time points (see Table 1 for some patients). Serum from these patients was analyzed for the presence of human anti-CA125 antibodies by their ability to bind CA125 (R. Madyalakan et al, Hybridoma , 14: 199-203 1995). These anti-CA125 antibodies were further classified for B43.13 epitopes or B27.1 epitopes by their ability to inhibit similar antibodies. The rationale for classification stems from the fact that anti-CA125 antibodies in these patients will be produced by two routes:

1) If the anti-CA125 antibody is produced in the manner suggested by the network theory mentioned above, the pathway will follow Ab1 → Ab2 → Ab3. When following this scheme, MAb-B43.13 (Ab1) produces an anti-genotype for MAb-B43.13 (Ab2), which is an anti-genotype against MAb-B43.13 (Ab3; or anti-CA125 antibody). Generate genotypes In addition, Ab3 antibodies generated under this pathway will only be bound and inhibited by MAb-B43.13 because the B43.13 epitope is the only epitope present.

2) If the anti-CA125 antibody is produced in the manner set forth by the present invention, the route will follow Ab1 + Soluble Antigen → Ab3 '. When following this scheme, MAb-B43.13 (Ab1) binds to the CA125 serum antigen, which will produce an anti-CA125 antibody (Ab3 '). In addition, Ab3 ′ antibodies generated under this pathway will be bound and inhibited by the B27.1 antibody because CA125 is multiepitopytic and B43.13 and B27.1 epitopes are unique as mentioned above. In addition, Ab3 'will not bind to anti-MAb-B43.13 antibody.

Thus, if patient serum contained CA125 antibody inhibitable only by MAb-B43.13, it was classified as containing Ab3, and serum that was inhibitable by MAb-B27.1 was classified as Ab3 '.

result

Fourteen patients developed anti-CA125 antibodies in these sera in response to MAb-B43.13 infusion (Table 1). Ten of these 14 patients had Ab3 ′ and only two patients had Ab3 antibody in serum. Two patients also had both antibodies. The presence of Ab3 in the serum was also confirmed by the ability of these antibodies to bind purified rabbit anti-MAb-B43.13 antibodies. There were two patients with anti-CA125 antibodies but not inhibited by MAb-B43.13 or MAb B27.1 (X2 and X7), which could have B43.13 or Implies that epitopes other than B27.1 are recognized.

These results clearly show that when an antibody against a single epitope (B43.13) is injected into a patient, an antibody response to the entire antigen occurs, recognizing the different epitopes present in the antigen. The presence of Ab3 in some patients can be explained by the possibility of excess presence of B43.13 epitopes in CA125 due to insufficient binding of the antibody to B43.13 epitopes or genotype induction via pathway I. Nevertheless, the dominant mechanism of the reaction is believed to be via route II. In other words, injection of a monoclonal antibody against a soluble multiepitope antigen into a patient with a functional immune system produces an antibody against the antigen, where the antibody produced is inhibited by antibodies to different epitopes.

Table 1: Characterization of anti-CA125 antibodies in patients injected with MAb-B43.13

Example 2

In pharmaceutical experiments, blood samples were analyzed for CA125 levels at selected intervals before and after infusion of MAb-B43.13. For patients with elevated CA125 levels before infusion, a significant drop in circulating CA125 levels could be observed immediately after MAb-B43.13 infusion (Table 2). This clearly demonstrated that the binder interacts with and eliminates circulating CA125 when introduced into the body.

Table 2: CA125 Removal After MAb-B43.13 Injection

Patient ＃ (CA 125 level is expressed in U / mL)

In addition, antigens complexed with antibodies are efficiently provided to the immune system, resulting in better antigen specific humoral and cellular responses. This was evidenced by the following experiments shown in Examples 3 and 4.

Example 3

Balb / c mice were injected intravenously with 10 μg MAb-B43.13 in PBS every three weeks for a total of three infusions; Intravenously with 10,000 units of CA125 in PBS; Or intravenously immunized with 10 μg MAb-B43.13 and 10,000 units of CA125 in PBS. The ratio at B43.13 / CA125 infusion was similar to the data observed in patients with elevated CA125 levels as determined based on the pharmacokinetic data given in Table 2. When mouse serum was analyzed for anti-CA125 antibody levels, mice injected with antigen-antibody complexes had the highest titers. Anti-genic induction in these balb / c mice is shown graphically in FIG. 1. This supports that the binder-antigen interaction results in a better antigen specific humoral response compared to the interaction with binder or antigen only.

Example 4

Similarly, a better cellular immune response was observed when a binder was provided in association with the antigen for T cells. Thus, macrophages isolated from mouse abdominal cavity were treated with MAb-B43.13 alone; CA125 alone, MAb-B43.13-CA125 complex; Or stimulated with control MAb-CA125 and presented to CA125 specific mouse T cells (isolated from mice injected with CA125). When proliferation of T cells as monitored by [ ³ H] -thymidine uptake occurred, an optimal stimulation index was observed in macrophages stimulated with antibody-antigen complexes (FIG. 2).

Example 5

The conclusion of Example 1 was further supported by revealing a correlation between serum CA125 levels and human anti-CA125 antibody production in patients injected with MAb-B43.13. The results are shown in Table 3, which supports the conclusion that antigens must be present in the serum to interact with the binder and that such interactions induce antigen specific humoral responses.

Table 3: Correlation between serum CA125 levels and antibody levels in patients injected with MAb-B43.13.

Example 6

The role of serum antigens in inducing multiple epitope antibody responses as a result of antibody injection was further confirmed in rabbit experiments. When MAb B43.13 was injected into rabbits that did not contain any serum CA125, anti-CA125 antibodies were generated that were not inhibitable by B27.1. In contrast, ovarian cancer patients with high serum antigen CA125 levels produce anti-CA125 antibodies that are inhibitable by B27.1 in response to MAb-b43.13 infusion.

Example 7 Experimental Demonstration of Induction of Antigen-Specific Anti-Tumor Responses by Antibody Injection

Human anti-CA125 antibodies cause tumor cell lysis through antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (“ADCC”). Although injected MAb-B43.13 by itself does not induce ADCC and / or complement dependent cell lysis (“CDC”) mediated ovarian tumor cells, anti-CA125 in patients injected with MAb-B43.13 The production of antibodies results in tumor cell lysis (see Figure 3). The labeled ovarian tumor cells were tested in the ⁵¹ chromium release assay by incubating the serum of effector cells and serum of 6 patients injected with MAb-B43.13. This supports the conclusion that infusion of binding agents produces anti-CA125 antibodies that induce interactions with antigens and induce specific humoral responses, leading to tumor cell lysis through ADCC. The results clearly demonstrated the occurrence of antigen specific anti-tumor response after injection of the antibody.

Example 8 Development of CA125 Specific Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in Patients Injected with MAb-B43.13.

Similarly, injecting a binder into cancer patients containing CA125 induces antigen specific CTLs. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 8 patients injected with MAb-B43.13 were tested for cytotoxicity to CA125 positive or CA125 negative ovarian tumor cells in a chromium release assay. The results are shown in Table 4. The specificity of lysis was confirmed by the ability of MAb-B43.13 to inhibit this lysis as well as the ability to kill CA125 negative tumor cells. Of the eight patients administered MAb-B43.13, four or more patients (# 5-8) were determined to have CA125 specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in these blood. The generation of CA125 specific CTLs is believed to kill ovarian tumor cells in the patient.

Table 4: Cytotoxicity in Patients Injected with Vaccine Containing MAb-B43.13

Example 9

Tumor mortality via anti-CA125 antibody mediated ADCC mechanism or CA125 specific CTL increases survival in patients injected with MAb-B43.13. Although high levels of serum CA125 have been suggested as poor prognostic indicators, they appear to have a beneficial effect with the infusion of anti-CA125 antibodies in these patients. For example, when the CA125 level is 100 units / mL, the immune response to CA125 is increased by 20% or more, thereby increasing the average survival of these patients from 39.1 months to 54.5 months (Table 5). Thus, injecting a binder into a patient containing elevated levels of multiple epitope soluble antigens results in antigen specific humoral and cellular responses, which induce tumor death and improve survival.

Table 5: Correlation between Serum CA125 Levels, Human Anti-CA125 (Ab ₁ ′) Responses and Survival in Patients Infused with MAb-B43.13

Example 10

One pancreatic cancer patient diagnosed with metastatic disease was repeatedly injected with a composition comprising an anti-CA19.9 antibody. The patient received no other treatment and survived 22 months after the initial diagnosis (19 months after surgery and infusion). This is compared with the current survival estimate of 6 months survival after initial diagnosis.

Example 11

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the dosage may vary widely based on different circumstances. The following provides preliminary dose guidelines.

Retrospective analysis of more than 100 patients who were injected 10 times or less with a 2 mg dose of MAb-B43.13 showed that some of these patients were a) a rare course of these diseases characterized by an unexpectedly long survival time and b) not significant It has been shown to experience side reactions or toxicity.

Immunological experiments were performed to understand and assess the in vivo mechanism of MAb-B43.13 action. These experiments showed that the extent of anti-genic induction in patients injected with a 2 mg dose of MAb-B43.13 was independent of the number of infusions or the clinical stage of these diseases. However, anti-genotype induction depends on the level of circulating CA125 present in the serum of the patient. Further experiments inject MAb-B43.13 into patients with measurable CA125 resulting in the formation of antigen-antibody complexes, leading to antigen epitope presentation and antigen specific humoral and cellular responses to tumors.

These experiments show that effective amounts require only enough antibodies to optimally deliver and provide all possible circulating CA125 antigens for the immune system. In vitro experiments showed that 1 ng of MAb-B43.13 could bind 10 units of CA125. Assuming 40 mL of plasma per kg of body weight, 60 mg of the patient can be injected with 2 mg of MAb-B43.13 to bind 8333 U / ml of CA125 in serum. Since all ovarian cancer patients tested to date have CA125 in amounts well below 8333 U / ml of these serum, infusion of 2 mg of MAb-B43.13 is sufficient to elicit the necessary immune response. In addition, for patients receiving radiolabeled MAb-B43.13 for the immunocytograph conformation of the disease, the imaging results were excellent despite high serum CA125, which was excessive for specific tumor uptake. It suggests the presence of MAb-B43.13.

In addition, multiple infusions at selected intervals appear to provide optimal benefits for the patient, as CA125 is produced during the course of the disease.

Finally, retrospective analysis indicated that the 2 mg dose appeared to have therapeutic efficacy, with no patient (> 100) developing serious side effects or side reactions. If the overall HAMA response is an indication of anti-genic induction, the 2 mg dose produces significant levels of anti-genic antibodies to produce the desired therapeutic benefit. Multiple injections of 2 mg of MAb-B43.13 at selected intervals are believed to maintain the anti-genic antibody at the desired therapeutic level without causing any isotype HAMA induced toxicity.

Thus, the effective amount or range of therapeutically acceptable amounts of MAb-B43.13 is 2 mg, but is not limited thereto.

Compositions comprising a binder according to the invention are particularly useful compositions which contain immunogenic or therapeutic amounts of one or more binders of the invention. An immunogenic or therapeutic amount is an amount that stimulates an immune response of humoral, cellular or combined humoral and cellular characteristics in a host. Host immune responses include increased activity against epitopes in tumor associated antigens that are different from the epitopes to which the binder binds. The composition of the present invention is administered as an anti-tumor vaccine to a subject at risk for the development of a malignant tumor or to a subject showing a diagnosis of a malignant tumor. These compositions can be used to prepare pharmaceutical compositions that induce an immune response.

Claims (10)

A therapeutic composition comprising a binding agent specific for a first epitope on multiple epitope in vivo antigens present in host serum, wherein the antigen itself does not elicit an effective host immune response, but the binding agent present in the composition is not radiolabeled and the antigen A therapeutic composition in which an effective host immune response is directed against a second epitope on an antigen by specifically binding to a first epitope on the antigen, wherein the antigen is CA125 and the binding agent is a murine monoclonal antibody B43. 13. Ovarian cancer treatment composition. A therapeutic composition comprising a binder specific for an epitope on multiple epitope in vivo antigens present in host serum, wherein the antigen itself does not elicit an effective host immune response, but the binder is not radiolabeled and is from 0.1 μg per kg body weight of the host. In therapeutic compositions in which the effective host immune response is induced against an antigen, by binding to an epitope on the antigen and specifically binding to an epitope on the antigen, the antigen is CA125 and the binding agent is murine monoclonal Ovarian cancer therapeutic composition is antibody B43.13. The ovarian cancer therapeutic composition according to claim 1, wherein the host immune response is selected from the group consisting of cellular and humoral immune responses, humoral immune responses and cellular immune responses. 3. The ovarian cancer therapeutic composition according to claim 2, wherein the host immune response is selected from the group consisting of cellular and humoral immune response, humoral immune response and cellular immune response. The composition of claim 1, wherein the level of CA125 in the host serum is greater than 100 U / ml. 3. The ovarian cancer therapeutic composition according to claim 2, wherein the level of CA125 in the host serum is greater than 100 U / ml. The composition for treating ovarian cancer according to claim 1, wherein the binder is present in the composition in an amount of 0.1 µg to 2 mg per kg body weight of the host. The composition for treating ovarian cancer according to claim 1, wherein the binder is present in the composition in an amount of 1 to 200 µg / kg body weight of the host. 3. The ovarian cancer therapeutic composition according to claim 2, wherein the binder is present in the composition in an amount of 1 to 200 µg / kg body weight of the host. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one adjuvant, at least one carrier, at least one excipient, at least one stabilizer, at least one imaging agent, at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or An ovarian cancer treatment composition further comprising a physiologically acceptable salt.