Targeting of organs by immunoconjugates

Abstract

Bioactive materials, e.g. therapeutic agents for treating a condition that afflicts a patient, are delivered to the afflicted organ in a site-specific manner by coupling the bioactive agent to an antibody or fragment or derivative thereof that recognizes a substance unique to that organ. For example, therapeutic agents for treating conditions of the prostate gland such as adenocarcinoma of the prostate, benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostatitis can be delivered to the prostate by coupling the thereapeutic agent to an antibody against a substance secreted by the prostate, e.g. prostatic specific antigen or prostatic acid phosphatase.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An immunoconjugate that recognizes a substance unique to an organ, comprising an antibody or derivative or fragment thereof for said substance, linked to a bioactive agent.  
     
     
         2 . The conjugate of  claim 1  wherein the organ is a prostate gland.  
     
     
         3 . The conjugate of  claim 2  wherein the prostate is cancerous.  
     
     
         4 . The conjugate of  claim 2  wherein the prostate is a human prostate.  
     
     
         5 . The immunoconjugate of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is an IgG.  
     
     
         6 . The conjugate of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is an antibody fragment.  
     
     
         7 . The conjugate of  claim 1  wherein the bioactive agent is selected from the group consisting of a toxin, an enzyme inhibitor, a receptor antagonist, a molecule that interferes with macromolecular interactions, an antimetabolite, and a chemotherapeutic agent.  
     
     
         8 . The conjugate of  claim 1  wherein the bioactive agent interrupts DNA or RNA synthesis.  
     
     
         9 . The conjugate of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         10 . A method of delivering a bioactive substance to an organ in an animal, comprising administering to the animal an immunoconjugate which comprises an antibody or derivative or fragment thereof for a substance which is unique to the organ, and a bioactive agent linked to the antibody or derivative or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the animal is human.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the organ is afflicted with a solid organ tumor and the bioactive agent has activity against the tumor cells.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the organ is the prostate.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the prostate is afflicted with adenocarcinoma of the prostate, benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostatitis.