Stem Cell Related Patent Number US5997865

Agonist antibodies against the flk2/flt3 receptor and uses thereof

Bennett, Brian D.; South San Francisco, CA 94080

This is a method for enhancing proliferation or differentiation of hematopoietic cells by contacting the hematopoietic cells with an effective amount of an agonist antibody which binds to the extracellular domain of flk2/flt3 and which activates the tyrosine kinase domain of flk2/flt3. Agonist antibodies are described which bind to the extracellular domain of the flk2/flt3 receptor and thereby activate the intracellular kinase domain. The labeled antibodies are useful as diagnostics for detecting the presence of the flk2/flt3 receptor in primitive hematopoietic cells, and they are able to cause primitive hematopoietic cells to proliferate and/or differentiate and thereby enhance repopulation of mature blood cell lineages in a mammal which has undergone chemo- or radiation therapy or bone marrow transplantation. The antibodies are also useful for treating mammals which have suffered a decrease in blood cells as a consequence of disease or a hemorrhage, among other disorders.

Application Number: US1995000434878

Date Filed: 05/04/95

Dated Published: 12/07/99

Assignee: None