The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 07, 1995
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1992
Richard A Mumford, Red Bank, NJ (US);
Michael W Lark, East Windsor, NJ (US);
Ellen B Bayne, Westfield, NJ (US);
Lori A Hoerrner, Scotch Plains, NJ (US);
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ (US);
Abstract
Monospecific antibodies are produced which are specific for fragments of the connective tissue protein aggrecan, generated by specific stromelysin cleavage. These monospecific antibodies are used in an assay system to detect polypeptide fragments of aggrecan, produced by the specific cleavage of aggrecan by stromelysin. The presence of aggrecan polypeptide fragments demonstrates stromelysin activity. Elevations of stromelysin occur in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerotic lesions, gout, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), certain cancers, joint injuries, and numerous inflammatory diseases. The monospecific antibodies and the assay system are used to quantitate aggrecan polypeptide fragments as a readout of stromelysin activity and to evaluate potential stromelysin inhibitors.