Antibodies that Bind and Detect Acute Lesions in MS Brains

Background: In patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) B cells, stimulated by axon antigens, infiltrate central nervous system. Technology: The inventors discovered a new class of antibodies that specifically binds to axons in early stage of acute lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) brains.

Further the inventors engineered a single chain-variable domain antibody fragment (scFv) from clonally expanded B cells from MS patients. This scFv antibody specifically binds to axons in acute lesions during an acute inflammation.

Antibodies secreted by these clonal B cells have shown high affinity to acute inflamed axons but not to normal or chronically degenerated axons. Binding of CSFC-scFv-Ab on axons can further prevent the axons from immune attack by the patient's axon specific T cells and antibodies in blood and in the CNS. Due to the characteristic of specific binding to acute inflammed axons, CSFC-scFv-Abs can be used to detect axon inflammation and axon degeneration in the CNS by its reaction to antigens) in serum and in the CSF of patients with MS.
Application: Axon specific scFv antibodies may be considered a valuable alternative to the established intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in MS. Further, Axon specific scFv-Abs can be used as a diagnostic kit to detect damaged axon antigen in serum of MS patients.

Type of Offer: Licensing



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