Humanized anti-CCR2 antibodies and methods of use therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a humanized antibody or functional fragment thereof which binds to a mammalian (e.g., human) CC-chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) or a portion of the receptor and blocks binding of a ligand to the receptor. The invention further relates to a method of inhibiting the interaction of a cell bearing mammalian CCR2 with a ligand thereof, and to use of the antibodies and fragments in therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic methods.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A humanized immunoglobulinheavy chain, or antigen binding fragment thereof, having binding specificity for CCR2 and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 110 or a portion thereof.  
     
     
         2 . The humanized immunoglobulin heavy chain or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 1 , having a variable region and a constant region, wherein the variable region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:108.  
     
     
         3 . The humanized immunoglobulin heavy chain or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 1 , having a variable region and a constant region, wherein the constant region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:111 or a portion thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The humanized immunoglobulin heavy chain or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 1 , having a variable and a constant region, wherein the variable region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:108 and the constant region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:111 or a portion thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A humanized immunoglobulin light chain, or antigen binding fragment thereof, having binding specificity for CCR2 and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12 and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 112.  
     
     
         6 . The humanized immunoglobulin light chain or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 5 , having a variable region and a constant region, wherein the variable region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:109.  
     
     
         7 . The humanized immunoglobulin light chain or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 5 , having a variable region and a constant region, wherein the constant region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:113 or a portion thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The humanized immunoglobulin light chain or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 5 , having a variable and a constant region, wherein the variable region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:109 and the constant region is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:113 or a portion thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A humanized immunoglobulin or antigen binding portion thereof having binding specificity for CCR2 and having a heavy chain and a light chain, wherein the heavy chain comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17 and an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:110 or a portion thereof, and the light chain comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12.  
     
     
         10 . The humanized immunoglobulin or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 9 , wherein the light chain further comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:112.  
     
     
         11 . The humanized immunoglobulin or antigen binding fragment thereof of  claim 10 , wherein the humanized immunoglobulin comprises two heavy chains and two light chains.