Amgen Inc.

Gang Yu

Lars Eyde Theill

Giorgio Senaldi

Scott Michael Silbiger

Richard Yeh

Novel MK61 polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules encoding the same. The invention also provides vectors, host cells, selective binding agents, and methods for producing MK61 polypeptides. Also provided for are methods for the treatment, diagnosis, amelioration, or prevention of diseases with MK61 polypeptides.

Antibody to TNF receptor-like molecules

Nucleic acids encoding MK61 receptors

This invention concerns interactions among APRIL/G70, AGP-3/BLYS, BCMA, and TACI and related methods of use and compositions of matter. It has been found that (1) sAPRIL/G70 binds to the cell-surface receptors BCMA and TACI on T and B lymphoma cells, resulting in stimulation of proliferation of primary human and mouse B and T cells both in vitro and in vivo; (2) APRIL competes with AGP3's binding to TACI and BCMA; (3) sBCMA inhibits APRIL and AGP3 binding to its receptors; (4) sBCMA ameliorates T cell dependent and T cell independent humoral immune responses in vivo; (5) sTACI inhibits APRIL and AGP3 binding to its receptors and ameliorates T cell dependent and T cell independent humoral immune responses in vivo; and (6) BCMA exhibits similarity with TACI within a single cysteine rich domain located N-terminal to a potential transmembrane domain. These discoveries provides a strategy for development of therapeutics for treatment of autoimmune diseases, and cancer, for prevention of transplant rejection. Disease states and disease parameters associated with APRIL and AGP-3 may be affected by modulation of BCMA or TACI; disease states and parameters associated with TACI can be affected by modulation of APRIL; disease states and parameters can be affected by modulation of any of TACI, BCMA, APRIL and AGP-3 by a single therapeutic agent or two or more therapeutic agents together.

Growing community of inventors

Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Gang Yu