Abstract: The present invention provides a humanized anti-human osteopontin antibody having better activities (antigen binding activity, leukocyte migration inhibitory activity and the like) and/or stability (resistance to heat, low-pH conditions, denaturants and the like) than those of conventional anti-human osteopontin antibodies.

Abstract: A human anti-amyloid ? peptide (hereinafter referred to as “A?”) antibody that binds to A? to thereby inhibit aggregation of A? molecules, and a fragment of said antibody are provided. The antibody and a fragment thereof according to the present invention, comprising a variable region of a human-derived anti-A? antibody, strongly reacts with A? to thereby inhibit its aggregation and hence may be used as a medicament for the prophylaxis and treatment of Alzheimer dementia.

Abstract: A novel type A botulinum toxin preparation is provided. A neuromuscular transmission blocking agent comprising as an active ingredient a highly purified type A botulinum toxin from Clostridium botulinum as infant botulism pathogen and a medicament for treating a disease with a muscle overactivity comprising as an active ingredient said toxin. In particular, the medicament of the present invention, as compared to the conventional known botulinum toxin preparations, has rapid efficacy of potential and is less diffusive and thus, having a broader safety margin, may be used as therapeutic medicament for decreasing local, muscle overactivity in a disease with a muscle overactivity.

Abstract: A modified Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) having resistance to a protease and a reduced toxicity and a vaccine comprising said modified SEB are provided. A modified SEB which has an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 wherein each of the lysine at 97-position and the lysine at 98-position are substituted with any other amino acid, or a derivative thereof and a vaccine comprising said modified SEB or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: A medicament for improving prognostic survival in therapy of malignant tumor is provided that may improve prognostic survival in DIC patients where the basal disease is malignant tumor, especially malignant tumor in hematopoietic organs. The medicament according to the invention comprises as a main active ingredient Activated Protein C, which is obtained from plasma or prepared by using the genetic recombination technique, and efficiently prolongs life-span of DIC patients where the basal disease is malignant tumor, especially malignant tumor in hematopoietic organs. In particular, the medicament may reduce adverse side effects of chemotherapeutics in chemotherapy of malignant tumor to enhance efficacy of said therapy and improve prognostic survival of patients suffering from malignant tumor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel composition for the treatment of a corneal/conjunctival disease. A prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a corneal/conjunctival disease comprising selenoprotein P as an active ingredient, more specifically a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a corneal/conjunctival disease such as dry eye, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, superficial punctate keratopathy, corneal erosion or corneal ulcer comprising selenoprotein P as an active ingredient, particularly a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a corneal/conjuncrtival disease such as dry eye, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, superficial punctate keratopathy, corneal erosion or corneal ulcer accompanied by a corneal/conjunctival epithelial discorder.

Abstract: A novel medicament for treating neurodegenerative diseases, especially for ameliorating dyskinesia, comprising as an active ingredient selenoprotein P and/or a peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments derived from said protein is provided. The novel medicament for treating neurodegenerative diseases, especially for ameliorating dyskinesia, according to the present invention is suitably applicable to diseases with decrease in motor function.

Abstract: A method for purifying a modified major mite allergen obtained by the genetic recombination technique and a purified modified major mite allergen obtained by said method for purification are provided.

Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to provide a vaccine for in ovo inoculation effective for prevention of any fowl viral diseases. A fowl vaccine for in ovo inoculation with high efficacy in view of safety as well wherein, by holding such live viruses on a virus-adsorbing agent through adsorption that have been difficult for practical usage as a vaccine for in ovo inoculation, viral growth in embryonated chicken eggs after in ovo inoculation is retarded to thereby reduce pathogenicity of the viruses to embryo to avoid reduction in hatching rate and to alleviate severity in clinical symptoms after hatching. A virus-adsorbing agent to be used in the vaccine includes an aluminum compound such as aluminum hydroxide gel, potassium alum and the like.

Abstract: A genetic recombinant human thrombin is provided. Human thrombin is efficiently prepared by the genetic engineering technique comprising the steps: (1) culturing a transfectant animal cell transfected with an expression vector in which a gene encoding human prethrombin is incorporated to the downstream of a promoter so as to produce and accumulate prethrombin in culture supernatant and recovering the produced human prethrombin; (2) treating a solution containing human prethrombin recovered in step (1) with ecarin so as to convert human prethrombin into human thrombin; and (3) purifying the solution obtained after the above activation process to obtain purified human thrombin. The present invention allows for provision of human thrombin in a large scale in a safe and economical manner due to exclusion of blood-derived components.

Abstract: The present invention provides a peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments having a cell death-inhibitory activity, having the amino acid sequence consisting of 103 amino acid residues at the C-terminal of selenoprotein P, or having said amino acid sequence with one or several amino acid residues therein being deleted, substituted or added, or having a partial sequence of either of the above amino acid sequences, a medicament for treatment comprising said peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments, an antibody to said peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments, and a method for screening a cell death-inhibitory activity using said peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments. The preferable peptide fragment or a series of peptide fragments of the present invention has the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and/or SEQ ID NO: 2 or has a partial sequence thereof.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an antibody showing immunoreactivity selectively to ADAMTS-13 and applications of this antibody in epitope analysis or diagnosis of an ADAMTS-13 autoantibody-positive patient. Alternatively, it is intended to provide a process for producing and use of a modified ADAMTS-13 molecule partially deleted aiming at the application in pharmaceutical products. An antibody specific for ADAMTS-13 which can be obtained from a warm-blooded animal immunized and sensitized with a polypeptide containing a part or the whole of ADAMTS-13 amino acid sequence; a process for producing an antibody comprising a step of immunizing and sensitizing a warm-blooded animal with a polypeptide containing a part or the whole of ADAMTS-13 amino acid sequence; use of the above-described antibody including a method of detecting and purifying ADAMTS-13; and a modified ADAMTS-13 molecule partially deleted are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an epitope recognized by an antibody (hereinafter, also referred to as an anti-ADAMTS-13 antibody) against a cleaving protease (hereinafter, also referred to as ADAMTS-13) specific to von Willebrand factor (hereinafter, also referred to as vWF), and a polypeptide comprising the epitope region. The present invention also provides a polypeptide located in a region from position 449 to position 687 in an amino acid sequence composing the ADAMTS-13, which is recognized by the anti-ADAMTS-13 antibody, or a peptide fragment derived from the polypeptide.

Abstract: A method for producing influenza virus on large scale is provided. A method for propagating influenza virus which comprises, after removing or decreasing a trypsin inhibitor secreted into culture of MDCK cells (cell line derived from dog kidney) by washing with a culture medium or a buffer, inoculating influenza virus into said cells and culturing said influenza virus-inoculated cells in a culture medium supplemented with trypsin.

Abstract: A human-derived human anti-human IL-18 antibody of the present invention is an antibody against human IL-18, the antibody including: an H-chain complementarity determining region consisting of (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino-acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 4 to 6, or (b) a polypeptide which is a mutant of the polypeptide (a) and which serves as the H-chain complementarity determining region; and an L-chain complementarity determining region against human interleukin-18 consisting of (c) a polypeptide consisting of amino-acid sequences represented by SEQ ID NOS: 10 to 12, or (d) a polypeptide which is a mutant of the polypeptide (c) and which serves as the L-chain complementarity determining region. This makes it possible to provide a human anti-human IL-18 antibody and a method for using the antibody.

Abstract: A substance effective for treating immunopathy where interleukin 6 (IL-6) is involved is provided. A human anti-human IL-6 antibody and a human anti-human IL-6 antibody fragment having a high affinity to human IL-6 were obtained using phage antibody technique. The antibody and antibody fragment are expected to be useful as a medicament for treating inflammation and immunopathy caused by IL-6.

Abstract: A method for determining a condition of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), by analyzing the amount and/or enzyme activity of a von Willebrand factor (vWF)-cleaving protease (ADAMTS13) (preferably also the amount of vWF) in a patient suffering from DIC, and a kit for determining a condition of DIC, comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to ADAMTS13, are disclosed. According to the present invention, a differential diagnosis of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can be carried out from among patients with DIC, which could not be distinguished on the basis of only clinical findings or known markers.

Abstract: A safe and effective hemostatic is provided. The invention relates to a bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin as an effective ingredient and a hemostatic comprising said bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric. The bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin in accordance with the present invention may be prepared by a process which comprises the steps of immersing a bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric into a solution containing thrombin and of lyophilizing the obtained nonwoven fabric. The bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin in accordance with the present invention allows for quicker and more effective hemostasis.

Abstract: A medicament for improving prognostic survival in therapy of malignant tumor is provided that may improve prognostic survival in DIC patients where the basal disease is malignant tumor, especially malignant tumor in hematopoietic organs. The medicament according to the invention comprises as a main active ingredient Activated Protein C, which is obtained from plasma or prepared by using the genetic recombination technique, and efficiently prolongs life-span of DIC patients where the basal disease is malignant tumor, especially malignant tumor in hematopoietic organs. In particular, the medicament may reduce adverse side effects of chemotherapeutics in chemotherapy of malignant tumor to enhance efficacy of said therapy and improve prognostic survival of patients suffering from malignant tumor.

Abstract: A recombinant ecarin protein that specifically activates prothrombin, said protein being efficiently prepared by the genetic engineering technique comprising the steps: (1) culturing a transformant microorganism or animal cell transformed with an expression vector in which a gene encoding ecarin is incorporated to the downstream of a promoter so as to produce and accumulate ecarin in culture supernatant or within said transformant and recovering the produced ecarin; and (2) purifying a solution containing the recovered ecarin to obtain purified ecarin. The present invention allows for production of recombinant ecarin on an industrial scale.