Novel compounds

Abstract

A soluble protein having IL4 and/or IL13 antagonist or partial antagonist activity comprises an IL4 mutant or variant fused to least one human immunoglobulin constant domain or fragment thereof.

1 . A soluble protein having IL4 and/or IL13 antagonist or partial antagonist activity, comprising an IL4 mutant or variant fused to least one human immunoglobulin constant domain or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         2 . A compound according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one amino acid, naturally occuring in wild type IL4 at any one of positions 120 to 128 inclusive, is replaced by a different natural amino acid.  
     
     
         3 . A compound according to  claim 2 , wherein the tyrosine naturally occurring at position 124 is replaced by a different natural amino acid.  
     
     
         4 . A compound according to  claim 3 , wherein the tyrosine naturally occurring at position 124 is replaced by aspartic acid.  
     
     
         5 . A compound according to  claim 1 , wherein the immunoglobulin is of the IgG subclass  
     
     
         6 . A compound according to  claim 5 , wherein the constant domain(s) or fragment thereof is the whole or a substantial part of the constant region of the heavy chain of human IgG.  
     
     
         7 . A compound according to  claim 5 , wherein the constant domain(s) or fragment thereof is the whole or a substantial part of the constant region of the heavy chain of human IgG4.  
     
     
         8 . A compound according to  claim 1 , having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No:4, SEQ ID No:7 or SEQ ID No: 10.  
     
     
         9 . A process for preparing a compound according to  claim 1 , which process comprises expressing DNA encoding said compound in a recombinant host cell and recovering the product.  
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 9 , which comprises: 
 i) preparing a replicable expression vector capable, in a host cell, of expressing a DNA polymer comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes said compound;    ii) transforming a host cell with said vector;    iii) culturing said transformed host cell under conditions permitting expression of said DNA polymer to produce said compound; and    iv) recovering said compound.    
     
     
         11 . A DNA polymer comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a compound according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . A DNA polymer according to  claim 11 , which comprises or consists of the sequence of SEQ ID No:3, SEQ ID No:6 or SEQ ID No:9.  
     
     
         13 . A replicable expression vector comprising a DNA polymer according to  claim 11 .  
     
     
         14 . A host cell transformed with a replicable expression vector according to  claim 13 .  
     
     
         15 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         16 . A method of treating conditions resulting from undesirable actions of IL4 and/or IL13 which comprises administering to the sufferer an effective amount of a compound according to  claim 1.