Morphosys Ag

Christian Frisch

Achim Knappik

Titus Kretzschmar

Stefan Hartle

Stefan Haertle

Alex Y Strongin

Thomas Von R&uuml;den

Sergey A Shiryaev

Adolf H&ouml;ss

Stefan HÄRTLE

Thomas Von Rüden

Adolf Höss

The present invention provides antibodies and fragments thereof that specifically detect the complex of a specific cognate antigen-binding moiety, in particular antibodies, and its antigen. The antibodies of the present disclosure do not bind either said cognate antigen binding moiety or said antigen alone and this can be used e.g. to directly detect antigen-bound antigen-binding moieties. Further disclosed are methods for production and use of said antibodies and antibody fragments.

Complex-specific antibodies and antibody fragments and its use

The present invention discloses novel screening strategies for the identification of binders that target the active site of enzymatic antigens. The present invention also discloses antigen-binding moieties which bind to the NS2B-NS3 Proteinase of West Nile Virus, in particular binders which bind to the active site, thereby inhibiting the enzymatic activity of the proteinase. The antigen-binding moieties of the present invention have numerous therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

Screening strategies for the identification of binders

The present invention relates to the generation of specific binding partners binding to (poly)peptides encoded by genomic DNA fragments or ESTs. The (poly)peptides are expressed as part of fusion proteins which are forming inclusion bodies on expression in host cells. The inclusion bodies are used to generate binding partners which bind specifically to said (poly)peptides. The specific binding partners, in particular immunoglobulins or fragments thereof, are useful for analysis and functional characterization of proteins encoded by nucleic acid sequences comprising the corresponding genomic DNA fragments or ESTs. The invention further relates to nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells to be used in the methods of the present invention. The invention further relates to the use of fusion proteins comprising the first N-terminal domain of the geneIII protein of filamentous phage as fusion partner for the expression of a (poly)peptide/protein fused to said fusion partner, and to methods for the expression of (poly)peptide/proteins.

Generation of specific binding partners binding to (poly)peptides encoded by genomic DNA fragments or ESTs

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Munich, Germany

Christian Frisch