Novel anti-cd4o antibodies and use thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel anti-CD40 antibodies and a use thereof and, more specifically, provided are a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing autoimmune diseases and a composition for inhibiting immune rejection during organ transplantation, both compositions containing, as an active ingredient, novel anti-CD40 antibodies that specifically bind to a novel epitope of CD40. Novel anti-CD40 antibodies of the present invention directly target CD40, but not CD40 ligands, and block the signaling of CD40-CD154 without stimulating platelets so as to exhibit excellent antagonistic effects, thereby being expected to be usable as a preparation effective in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and the inhibition of organ transplantation rejection.

1 . An isolated anti-CD40 antibody epitope comprising CD40 amino acid residues of Glu58, Cys59, Leu60, Pro61, Cys62, Gly63, Glu64, Ser65, Glu66 and Phe67 of CD40 amino acid sequences. 
     
     
         2 . An isolated anti-CD40 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, wherein the anti-CD40 antibody or the antigen-binding fragment thereof specifically binds to an epitope comprising CD40 amino acid residues of Glu58, Cys59, Leu60, Pro61, Cys62, Gly63, Glu64, Ser65, Glu66 and Phe67 of CD40 amino acid sequences. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-CD40 antibody acts as an antagonistic antibody to antagonize the CD40 when the anti-CD40 antibody binds to the CD40. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of  claim 2 , wherein the CD40 includes primate CD40 . 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The isolated anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-CD40 antibody is selected from the group consisting of monoclonal antibody, chimeric antibody, primateized antibody, humanized antibody, and human antibody. 
     
     
         8 . The isolated anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-CD40 antibody is selected from the group consisting of multimeric antibodies, heterodimeric antibodies, semi-dimeric antibodies, tetravalent antibodies, bispecific antibodies and single-chain antibodies. 
     
     
         9 . The isolated anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of  claim 2 , wherein the antigen-binding fragment is selected from the group consisting of Fab, F(ab) 2 , Fab′, F(ab′) 2 , F(ab′) 3 , Fd, Fv, and a domain antibody. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The isolated anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of  claim 2 , wherein the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is further conjugated with a substance selected from the group consisting of a therapeutic agent, a prodrug, peptide, protein, enzyme, virus, lipid, a biological modifier, a drug and PEG. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing an anti-CD40 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, the method comprising injecting an anti-CD40 antibody epitope into non-human animals,
 wherein the anti-CD40 antibody or the antigen-binding fragment thereof specifically binds to anti-CD40 antibody epitope;   wherein the anti-CD40 antibody epitope comprises CD40 amino acid residues of Glu58, Cys50, Leu60, Pro61, Cys62, Gly63, Glu64, Ser65, Glu66 and Phe67 of CD40 amino acid sequences.   
     
     
         13 - 21 . (canceled)