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:
May. 08, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 02, 1994
Wayne A. Border, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Erkki I. Ruoslahti, Ranco Santa Fe, CA (US);
Wayne A. Border, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Erkki I. Ruoslahti, Ranco Santa Fe, CA (US);
La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for treating or arresting the progress of pathologies characterized by an accumulation of extracellular matrix components by providing an agent to suppress the activity of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) a peptide growth factor which is anabolic and leads to fibrosis and angiogenesis. In one embodiment, such agent is anti-TGF-β antibody. Pathologies which can be so treated include, but are not limited to, glomerulonephritis, adult respiratory distress syndrome and cirrhosis of the liver. The invention further provides a method for the diagnosis of pathologies, or incipient pathologies, which are characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix components in tissues by determining the levels of TGF-β in the tissues, a high level being indicative of such pathologies.