Antibody

Abstract

The invention relates to antibodies to Aspergillus species and to methods of producing those antibodies. The invention also relates to the use of such antibodies in identifying the presence of the Aspergillus species and to methods of treating an infection with the Aspergillus species.

1 . A hybridoma deposited under accession number ECACC 08120202. 
     
     
         2 . An isolated antibody which may be obtained by culture of the hybridoma of  claim 1 , or a functional fragment of such an antibody. 
     
     
         3 . An isolated antibody, or antibody fragment or other molecule capable of specifically binding to  Aspergillus , the antibody, fragment or binding molecule comprising a CDR, light chain, heavy chain, light chain variable region, heavy chain variable region or antigen binding region that shows at least 85% homology with the corresponding region of the antibody according to  claim 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% homology to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22, SEQ ID NO: 23, SEQ ID NO: 24 and SEQ ID NO: 25 
     
     
         5 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 4 , comprising a first CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19;
 a second CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% homology to an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 21 or SEQ ID NO: 22;   and a third CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24.   
     
     
         6 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 4  comprising a first CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having substantial homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20;
 a second CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having substantial homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23; and 
 a third CDR comprising an amino acid sequence having substantial homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25. 
 
     
     
         7 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a heavy chain comprising one or more CDRs having an amino acid sequence having substantial homology to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22 and SEQ ID NO: 24. 
     
     
         8 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a light chain comprising one or more CDRs having an amino acid sequence having substantial homology to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 23 and SEQ ID NO: 25. 
     
     
         9 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising an amino acid sequence having substantial homology to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 10, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 15 SEQ ID NO: 17, and SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
         10 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a heavy chain variable region having substantial homology to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 10, and SEQ ID NO: 11. 
     
     
         11 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a light chain variable region having substantial homology to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 17, and SEQ ID NO: 18. 
     
     
         12 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  encoded by a nucleotide sequence having substantial homology to a nucleotide sequence selected from the sequences shown in figures:
   1 ,  3 ,  5 ,  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  and  16 . 
 
     
     
         13 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a heavy chain variable region encoded by a nucleotide sequence having substantial homology to a nucleotide sequence selected from the sequences shown in figures:
   1 ,  3 ,  5 ,  7  and  9 . 
 
     
     
         14 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 3  comprising a light chain variable region encoded by a nucleotide sequence having substantial homology to the nucleotide sequence selected from the sequences shown in figures:  12 ,  14  and  16 . 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of making antibodies, including a method of generating an antibody or functional fragment thereof comprising:
 a) providing a repertoire of nucleic acids encoding a variable domain that either includes a CDR1, CDR2 or CDR3 encoding region to be replaced or lacks a CDR1, CDR2 or CDR3 encoding region;   b) combining the repertoire with a donor nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence   
       encoding a sequence selected from the sequences in figures:
   19  to  25  to provide a repertoire of nucleic acids encoding a variable domain; and 
 c) expressing a nucleic acid from the repertoire. 
 
     
     
         17 . An isolated nucleic acids encoding an antibody or functional fragment thereof according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         18 . An isolated nucleic acid having substantial homology to a sequence selected from the sequences shown in figures:  1 ,  3 ,  5 ,  7 ,  9 ,  12 ,  14  and  16 . 
     
     
         19 . A construct comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 18 . 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody according to  claim 3  or functional fragment thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The antibody according to  claim 3  or functional fragment thereof for use in therapy. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled)