Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and an isolated immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide that bind to a programmed death-1 (PD-1) protein. The invention provides a PD-1-binding agent that comprises the aforementioned immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide. The invention also provides related vectors, compositions, and methods of using the PD-1-binding agent to treat a cancer or an infectious disease.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the generation of humanized antibodies, particularly a humanized antibody heavy chain protein and a humanized antibody light chain protein. The method comprises using cells that express or can be induced to express Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID).

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated interleukin-17 (IL-17)-binding agent which comprises an immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 32, SEQ ID NO: 33, SEQ ID NO: 78, or SEQ ID NO: 79, and an immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 23, except that one or more specific of residues of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 23 are replaced with a different residue. The invention also provides vectors, compositions, and methods of using the IL-17-binding agent to treat an IL-17-mediated disease.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and an isolated immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide that bind to a programmed death-1 (PD-1) protein. The invention provides a PD-1-binding agent that comprises the aforementioned immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide. The invention also provides related vectors, compositions, and methods of using the PD-1-binding agent to treat a cancer or an infectious disease.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the generation of humanized antibodies, particularly a humanized antibody heavy chain protein and a humanized antibody light chain protein. The method comprises using cells that express or can be induced to express Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID).

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and an isolated immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide that binds to complement protein C5. The invention provides a C5-binding agent that comprises the aforementioned immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide. The invention provides an isolated complement protein C5 epitope. The invention also provides related vectors, compositions, and methods of using the C5-binding agent to treat an C5-mediated disease.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and an isolated immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide that binds to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). The invention provides an NGF-binding agent that comprises the aforementioned immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide. The invention also provides vectors, compositions, and methods of using the NGF-binding agent to treat an NGF-mediated disease.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the generation of humanized antibodies, particularly a humanized antibody heavy chain protein and a humanized antibody light chain protein. The method comprises using cells that express or can be induced to express Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID).

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the generation of polynucleotide seed libraries and the use of these libraries in generating novel mutants of recombinant proteins and, more particularly, for generating focused libraries of recombinant human antibodies and screening for their affinity binding with target antigens.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an isolated IL-17-binding agent which comprises an immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 and optionally an immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 23, except that one or more specific of residues of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 23 are replaced with a different residue. The disclosure also provides vectors, compositions, and methods of using the IL-17-binding agent to treat an IL-17-mediated disease.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an in vitro method for introducing one or more insertion mutations and/or one or more deletion mutations in a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide. The method comprises contacting a cell in vitro with a nucleic acid sequence, and expressing Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID) in the cell. The invention also is directed to a method of producing an immunoglobulin.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and an isolated immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide that binds to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). The invention provides an NGF-binding agent that comprises the aforementioned immunoglobulin heavy chain polypeptide and immunoglobulin light chain polypeptide. The invention also provides vectors, compositions, and methods of using the NGF-binding agent to treat an NGF-mediated disease.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of preparing a nucleic acid sequence with a modified splice site usage profile, which employs the use of a nucleic acid sequence comprising a cryptic splice donor site. The invention also provides a method of producing an alternate form of an RNA molecule encoded by a nucleic acid sequence, which nucleic acid sequence comprises a cryptic splice donor site, a heterologous nucleic acid sequence, and a splice acceptor site.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of identifying a desired antigen-binding agent that binds to an antigen of interest. The method utilizes a combinatorial approach wherein a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a first component of an antigen-binding agent is provided to a population of cells together with a library of nucleic acid sequences, each of which encodes a polypeptide comprising a second component of an antigen-binding agent. The method further comprises subjecting one or more of the nucleic acid sequences encoding a first component, a second component, and/or an identified antigen-binding agent to somatic hypermutation.

Abstract: The present application relates to somatic hypermutation (SHM) systems and synthetic genes. Synthetic genes can be designed using computer-based approaches to increase or decrease susceptibility of a polynucleotide to somatic hypermutation. Genes of interest are inserted into the vectors and subjected to activation-induced cytidine deaminase to induce somatic hypermutation. Proteins or portions thereof encoded by the modified genes can be introduced into a SHM system for somatic hypermutation and proteins or portions thereof exhibiting a desired phenotype or function can be isolated for in vitro or in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic uses.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the generation of humanized antibodies, particularly a humanized antibody heavy chain protein and a humanized antibody light chain protein. The method comprises using cells that express or can be induced to express Activation Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID).

Abstract: The present application relates to somatic hypermutation (SHM) systems and synthetic genes. Synthetic genes can be designed using computer-based approaches to increase or decrease susceptibility of a polynucleotide to somatic hypermutation. Genes of interest are inserted into the vectors and subjected to activation-induced cytidine deaminase to induce somatic hypermutation. Proteins or portions thereof encoded by the modified genes can be introduced into a SHM system for somatic hypermutation and proteins or portions thereof exhibiting a desired phenotype or function can be isolated for in vitro or in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic uses.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the generation of polynucleotide seed libraries and the use of these libraries in generating novel mutants of recombinant proteins and, more particularly, for generating focused libraries of recombinant human antibodies and screening for their affinity binding with target antigens.

Abstract: The present application relates to somatic hypermutation (SHM) systems and synthetic genes. Synthetic genes can be designed using computer-based approaches to increase or decrease susceptibility of a polynucleotide to somatic hypermutation. Genes of interest are inserted into the vectors and subjected to activation-induced cytidine deaminase to induce somatic hypermutation. Proteins or portions thereof encoded by the modified genes can be introduced into a SHM system for somatic hypermutation and proteins or portions thereof exhibiting a desired phenotype or function can be isolated for in vitro or in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic uses.