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:
Apr. 19, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 10, 2007
Shelia M. Violette, Lexington, MA (US);
Louise A. Koopman, Brookline, MA (US);
Shelia M. Violette, Lexington, MA (US);
Louise A. Koopman, Brookline, MA (US);
Biogen Idec MA Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is in the fields of cell biology, immunology and oncology. The invention relates to the discovery that there is a relationship between the expression levels of the tumor suppressor gene smad4 (also known as dpc4) and integrin αβ, and the responsiveness of patient populations to αβ-active compounds and compositions (e.g., antibodies and other ligands that bind αβ), particularly in cancer cells from such patient populations, more particularly on carcinomas such as pancreatic carcinomas. The invention thus provides methods for determining the responsiveness of tumor cells (particularly those from pancreatic tumors) to such αβ-active compounds and compositions by examining the expression of αβand smad4 by the tumor cells, as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment/prevention of tumor progression using ligands, including antibodies and small molecule drugs, that bind to integrin αβon the surfaces of tumor cells and/or that block one or more components of the TGF-β pathway, particularly in smad4-deficient tumor cells.