Clostridium difficile toxins a and/or b antigen and epitope antibody, and pharmaceutical uses thereof

Abstract

It is described a Clostridium difficile ( C - difficile ) toxins A and/or B as a target for therapy, including passive immunotherapy, and particularly prevention of C - difficile intoxication in human or other animals. It is also described a polypeptide comprising a portion of C - difficile toxins A and/or B sequence being an epitope for anti-toxins A and/or B antibody. It is also disclosed a method for generating a neutralizing antibody directed against C - difficile toxins A and/or B. It is also provided a novel formulation that combines key toxins A and/or B epitope antibodies, located in three key domains of toxins A and/or B, for neutralisation of the toxins A and/or B, at any stage of toxins A and/or B intoxication related to C - difficile infection. The novel formulation of toxins A and/or B epitope antibodies are useful in immunotherapy, for therapeutic and/or prophylactic mediation of C - difficile intoxication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) An antibody that recognizes  Clostridium difficile  toxins A and B, wherein said antibody specifically binds to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         2 ) The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody specifically binds to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         3 ) The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody specifically binds to the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         4 ) The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is a polyclonal antibody. 
     
     
         5 ) The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is a bird antibody. 
     
     
         6 ) The antibody of  claim 5 , wherein said bird antibody is a chicken antibody. 
     
     
         7 ) The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody is in a composition that further comprises a carrier. 
     
     
         8 ) The antibody of  claim 7 , wherein said composition is a pharmaceutical composition and said carrier is a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         9 ) A method for immunizing a subject against  Clostridium difficile  infection or treating  Clostridium difficile  infection in a subject comprising administrating an effective amount of the antibody of  claim 1  to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         10 ) A method for immunizing a subject against  Clostridium difficile  infection or treating  Clostridium difficile  infection in a subject comprising administrating an effective amount of the antibody of  claim 4  to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         11 ) A method for immunizing a subject against  Clostridium difficile  infection or treating  Clostridium difficile  infection in a subject comprising administrating an effective amount of the antibody of  claim 6  to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 9 , wherein said subject is a human subject. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 10 , wherein said subject is a human subject. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 11 , wherein said subject is a human subject.