Monoclonal Antibodies Which Specifically Bind to the Ligand Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) and are Useful in the Treatment of Cancer
Description of Invention:
The invention described and claimed in this patent application provides for compositions and methods for the treatment of cancers associated with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). In particular, the patent application describes compositions and methods which employ a combination of monoclonal antibodies which bind to HGF and prevent it from binding to its receptor met in a manner that HGF/met signaling is neutralized. The combination of monoclonal antibodies has been shown to be neutralizing in tumor-bearing nude mice.
HGF/met signaling has been most widely studied in settings related to cancer. It has been demonstrated to have a role in metastasis and angiogenesis. In addition to cancer, HGF activity has also been linked, through its role in apoptosis, to Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease.
The application has been published as WO 01/34650 (05/17/2001). The work has also been published at Cao B, et al PNAS USA 98(13):7443-8 (June 19 2001) [http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/98/13/7443]. The hybridomas which can be used to produce the various monoclonal antibodies have been deposited with the ATCC and are available to licensees. Only U.S. Patent protection has been sought for this technology. There are no foreign counterpart patent applications.
Inventors:
Boliang Cao and George Vande Woude (both of NCI)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-262-1999/1 --
U.S. Patent Application No. 10/129,596 filed 30 Sep 2002 (HHS Reference No. E-262-1999/1-US-02), which is a 371 application of PCT/US00/31036 filed 09 Nov 2000 and which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/164,173 filed 09 Nov 1999
Licensing Status: This application is available for license only. Licenses for the development of therapeutics may be exclusive or non-exclusive. The principal investigators are no longer at the NIH and are not available for NIH collaborative projects under the CRADA mechanism.
Portfolios: Internal Medicine Central Nervous System Cancer
Central Nervous System -Therapeutics-Neurological Therapeutics-Alzheimer Internal Medicine-Therapeutics-Cardiology-Other Cancer -Therapeutics Cancer -Research Materials Central Nervous System -Therapeutics Internal Medicine-Therapeutics
For Additional Information Please Contact: Susan S. Rucker J.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-4478
Email: ruckersu@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
