Anti-cd40 antibodies and methods of use

Abstract

The present invention provides high affinity anti-CD40 monoclonal antibodies and related compositions, which may be used in any of a variety of therapeutic methods for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, that binds to CD40, comprising (i) a heavy chain variable region comprising the VHCDR1, VHCDR2, and VHCDR3 of any one of the VH regions shown in  FIG. 16 ; and (ii) a light chain variable region comprising the VLCDR1, the VLCDR2, and the VLCDR3 region of the corresponding VL region of any one of the antibodies shown in  FIG. 16 ;
 or a variant of said antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, comprising heavy and light chain variable regions identical to the heavy and light chain variable regions of (i) and (ii) except for up to 8 amino acid substitutions in said CDR regions.   
     
     
         22 . The isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, of  claim 21 , that binds to CD40, comprising a heavy chain variable region comprising any one of the VH regions shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
     
         23 . The isolated antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, of  claim 22 , comprising a light chain variable region comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the corresponding VL region as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
     
         24 . The isolated antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, of  claim 23 , comprising the corresponding light chain variable region as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
     
         25 . The isolated antibody, or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, of  claim 21 , that binds to CD40, comprising a light chain variable region comprising any one of the VL regions shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
     
         26 . The isolated antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, of  claim 25 , comprising a heavy chain variable region comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the corresponding VH region as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
     
         27 . The isolated antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, of  claim 26 , comprising the corresponding heavy chain variable region as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     
     
         28 . A composition comprising a physiologically acceptable carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of the isolated antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, according to  claim 21 . 
     
     
         29 . A method for treating or ameliorating the symptoms in a patient having a cancer, comprising administering to the patient the composition of  claim 28 , thereby treating or ameliorating the symptoms in the patient having the cancer.