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:
Jan. 22, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1997
David Stephen Terman, Pebble Beach, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
The present invention relates to therapeutic methods and compositions employing superantigens. Methods and compositions employing superantigens and immunotherapeutic proteins in combination with one another have been found to provide more effective treatment than either component used alone. Superantigens, in conjunction with one or more additional immunotherapeutic antigens, may be used to either induce a therapeutic immune response directed against a target or to inhibit a disease causing immune response. Specific combinations of superantigens and immunotherapeutic antigens are used to treat specific diseases. The induction (or augmentation) of a desired immune against a target may be used, for example, to kill cancer cells or kill the cells or an infectious agent. The inhibition of an immune response, e.g., through the induction of T cell anergy, may be used to reduce the symptoms of an autoimmune disease. Diseases that may be treated by the methods and compositions of the invention include neoplastic diseases, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases. One aspect of the invention is to provide methods for the treatment of diseases comprising the steps of administering an effective amount of a superantigen and an immunotherapeutic so as to have the desired therapeutic effect. The superantigen and immunotherapeutic antigen may be administered together as a mixture. Alternatively, the superantigen and immunotherapeutic antigen may be administered separately. In one embodiment of the invention, the superantigen and immunotherapeutic antigen are administered to the patient in the form of a immunotherapeutic antigen-superantigen polymer of the invention. Another aspect of the invention is to provide methods for the treatment of diseases comprising the steps of incubating a lymphocyte population ex vivo a superantigen and an immunotherapeutic protein so as to either activate or anergize T cells within the selected population.