| abstract |
The present invention relates to a novel type of human recombinant antibody-like molecules useful in the treatment of i.e. multiple myeloma. These molecules, called Vaccibodies, bind APC and are able to trigger both T cell and B cell immune response. Moreover, Vaccibodies bind divalently to APC to promote a more efficient initiation of an immune response. Hence, a major purpose of the present invention is to induce a strong immune response to render adjuvants redundant. Vaccibodies comprise a dimer of a monomeric unit that consists of a targeting unit with specificity for a surface molecule on APC, connected through a hinge region and a CϜ3 domain to a antigenic unit in the COOH-terminal end; the latter being of e.g. B cell lymphoma or myeloma origin (Fig 1), although any origin is possible due to the cassette cloning system in the expression vector. The said molecule is capable of inducing an immune response against multiple myeloma, but extension to a general vaccination strategy for any polypeptid should be feasible. The present invention also relates to a DNA sequence coding for this recombinant antibody based molecule, to expression vectors comprising these DNA sequences, cell lines comprising said expression vectors, to treatment of mammals preferentially by immunization by means of Vaccibody DNA, Vaccibody RNA, or Vaccibody protein, and finally to pharmaceuticals and a kit comprising the said molecules. |