Abstract: The invention relates to a method of coating beads with a biological molecule comprising: (i) coating a plurality of beads with the biological molecule; (ii) mixing the coated beads with a liquid stabilizing and/or blocking agent (iii) dispersing the coated beads still substantially surrounded by a liquid phase comprising the liquid stabilizing and/or blocking agent across a surface that is at least partially liquid permeable; (iv) drying the beads on the surface to substantially remove the liquid phase; and (v) removing the dried beads from the surface.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to antibodies having specificity for a heavy chain class at the same time as having specificity for a first light chain. Such antibodies can be used in a method of detecting or monitoring a malignant plasma cell disease comprising determining in a sample the ratio between the relative amounts of immunoglobulins having: (i) a heavy chain class bound to ? light chains; and (ii) immunoglobulins having the same heavy chain class but bound to ? light chains.

Abstract: A method of detecting or monitoring a malignant plasma cell disease comprising detecting in a sample the ratio between the relative amounts of immunoglobulins having: (i) a heavy chain class bound to ? light chains; and (ii) immunoglobulins having the same heavy chain class but bound to ? light chains. More particularly, in one embodiment the method comprises the steps of measuring the relative amounts of the respective immunoglobulins by using: (i) at least one antibody, or a fragment thereof, specific for the heavy chain class; (ii) an antibody, or a fragment thereof, specific for ? light chains; and (iii) an antibody, or a fragment thereof, specific for ? light chains.

Abstract: A method of making antibodies to a selected part P of an immunoglobulin molecule ZP, Z comprising the non-selected part of ZP, P being the selected part of ZP which comprises a hidden epitope of the light chain, said method comprises tolerizing the source of antibodies, by administering to the source a compound containing the non-selected part Z or a part of Z and administering antibodies to the non-selected part Z or a part of Z; wherein these administered antibodies are specific to an Fc region of ZP; and immunizing the source of antibodies with part of ZP having the selected part P exposed; and wherein Z comprises non-hidden epitopes of said immunoglobulin molecule, and wherein said compound containing the non-selected part of said molecule comprises a whole immunoglobulin, and wherein immunizing the source of antibodies with part of ZP comprises immunizing with free light chain.

Abstract: A method of detecting or monitoring a malignant plasma cell disease comprising detecting in a sample the ratio between the relative amounts of immunoglobulins having: (i) a heavy chain class bound to ? light chains; and (ii) immunoglobulins having the same heavy chain class but bound to ? light chains. Preferably the ratio is determined by (1) a method wherein the ratio is determined using: (i) an antibody, or a fragment thereof, having specificity for a heavy chain class at the same time as having specificity for a first light chain in combination with either: (ii) an antibody, or a fragment thereof, having specificity for the heavy chain class at the same time as having specificity for the second light chain; or (iii) an antibody, or fragment thereof, having specificity for the heavy chain and a further antibody, or fragment thereof, having specificity for the second light chain.

Abstract: There is provided a method of reducing blood free light chain concentration in a subject, the method comprising the step of subjecting the subject's blood to haemodialysis, haemodiafiltration or haemofiltration. There is also provided the use of a dialysis membrane which is a membrane that allows passage of molecules having a molecular weight of up to 45 kDa in presence of whole blood, and has a molecular weight exclusion limit in water of about 200 kDa in the preparation of a haemodialysis unit for conducting haemodialysis, haemodiafiltration or haemofiltration on a subject to reduce blood free light chain concentration in the patient.