Fully human antibodies against human 4-1bb

Abstract

Fully human antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that bind to human 4-1BB and that allow binding of human 4-1BB to a human 4-1BB ligand. In one aspect, the antibody is an IgG4 antibody. Also provided is a method for treating a disease in a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody to said subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof that specifically binds to 4-1BB, comprising a light chain variable region and a heavy chain variable region, wherein:
 said light chain variable region comprises a CDR1, a CDR2, and a CDR3 as depicted in  FIG. 4 ; and   said heavy chain variable region comprises a CDR1, a CDR2, and a CDR3 as depicted in  FIG. 3 .   
     
     
         2 . The monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said light chain comprises a variable region as depicted in  FIG. 4 ; and   said heavy chain comprises a variable region as depicted in  FIG. 3 .   
     
     
         3 . A monoclonal antibody comprising a light chain and a heavy chain, wherein said light chain comprises amino acid residues 21-236 of SEQ ID NO:6 and said heavy chain comprises amino acid residues 20-467 of SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         4 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of  claim 1 ; and   a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.   
     
     
         5 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 the monoclonal antibody of  claim 3 ; and   a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.   
     
     
         6 . A method for treating a cancer in a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the monoclonal antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof of  claim 1  to said subject. 
     
     
         7 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of amino acid residues 20-467 of SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         8 . The polynucleotide of  claim 7  that comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         9 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of amino acid residues 21-236 of SEQ ID NO:6. 
     
     
         10 . The polynucleotide of  claim 9  that comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:4.