Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a superagonistic monoclonal antibody (mAb), which is specific for a naturally costimulatory receptor expressed on T cells, or a mimicry compound thereto, for producing a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of diseases occurring with lacking costimulability of T cells, in particular of the B-CLL.

Abstract: The invention teaches a method for testing a prospective or known immunomodulatory drug for T-cell activation, comprising the step of contacting in-vitro a peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture with a predetermined amount of the prospective or known immunomodulatory drug and observing the PBMC culture for T-cell activation using a readout system, upon contact with the prospective or known immunomodulatory drug, wherein the cell density of a PBMC preculture is adjusted such that cell-cell contact of the PBMC is enabled and wherein the PBMC preculture is cultured for at least 12 h.

Abstract: The present invention relates to one or more nucleic acid(s) encoding a binding molecule specifically binding to a human CD28 molecule, comprising (a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VH region and a nucleic acid sequence encoding a VL region comprising CDRs in a human immunoglobulin framework, wherein (i) the CDRs of the VH region (CDR-H) comprise the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 2 or 18 (CDR-H3), 4 or 20 (CDR-H2) and 6 or 22 (CDR-H1) or are encoded by the nucleic acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 or 17 (CDR-H3), 3 or 19 (CDR-H2) and 5 or 21 (CDR-H1); and (ii) the CDRs of the VL region (CDR-L) comprise the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 8 or 24 (CDR-L3), 10 or 26 (CDR-L2) and 12 or 28 (CDR-L1) or are encoded by the nucleic acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 7 or 23 (CDR-L3), 9 or 25 (CDR-L2) and 11 or 27 (CDR-L1); and (b) a nucleic acid sequence encoding the constant region of a human IgG1 or IgG4 antibody.