Abstract: The invention relates to an antibody molecule having specificity for antigenic determinants of IL-1?, therapeutic uses of the antibody molecule and methods for producing said antibody molecule.

Abstract: This invention relates to engineering of antibodies and more specifically provides altered antibodies of the IgG class to which one or more effector molecules are attached. The invention further relates to methods for the production of such conjugated antibodies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods for the selection of appropriate human acceptor framework regions for non-human (donor) antibodies and methods for obtaining humanized antibodies of high affinity using such acceptor frameworks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to single chain polypeptides comprising one or more immunoglobulin Fc domains. In particular the present invention relates to single-chain Fc polypeptides in which at least one functional Fc domain is formed within the polypeptide chain.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards a method of enriching a population of cells in those cells that produce an antibody which recognises an antigen of interest. In particular, an untagged antigen is used in conjunction with a polyclonal antibody to isolate cells recognizing said antigen.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antibody molecule having specificity for antigenic determinants of IL-1?, therapeutic uses of the antibody molecule and methods for producing said antibody molecule.

Abstract: The invention relates to vectors encoding bioassay receptors and in vitro bioassays using said bioassay receptors for assessing compounds of interest. In particular, the bioassays provide a generic platform for the comparison of binding of different ligands to their respective receptors or binding partners in the presence and/or absence of a compound of interest.

Abstract: A method of obtaining at least one recombinant antibody with improved affinity for a selected antigen from a family of antibodies which bind the selected antigen comprising: a) obtaining a family of two or more antibodies which bind the same antigen in which the VH CDR3 amino acid sequence of each antibody in the family is the same length and greater than 60% identical at the amino acid level; b) re-pairing the VH region of an antibody obtained in step (a) with the VL region from a different antibody obtained in step (a) to produce a new recombinant antibody; and c) screening the recombinant antibody produced in step (b) and selecting said antibody if it has improved affinity for the selected antigen compared to any one of the antibodies obtained in step (a).

Abstract: A method of generating novel nucleic acid molecules, by applying a combinatorial approach to the assembly of blocks of nucleic acid sequence, is described. By using restriction endonucleases having different recognition sites but which produce compatible cleavage products, a library of DNA molecules, of varying length and sequence, may be generated in a desired orientation.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a synthetic transmembrane region as well as to membrane associated proteins containing these synthetic transmembrane regions. The design of the synthetic transmembrane region allows various properties of a protein, such as its level of expression, and relative response to ligand binding to be tailored as required for a specific purpose.

Abstract: Nucleic acids are described which code for chimeric cytoplasmic signalling molecules containing at least one cytoplasmic signalling sequence derived from CD137. The nucleic acids may be expressed in cells to produce chimeric receptors and other proteins which are able to regulate cell activation processes with improved efficiency. Such regulated cells are of use in medicine, for example in the treatment of infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: A cell activation process is described in which an effector cell is transformed with DNA coding for a chimeric receptor containing two or more different cytoplasmic signalling components.

Abstract: A cell activation process is described in which an effector cell is transformed with DNA coding for a chimeric receptor containing two or more different cytoplasmic signalling components. At least one of the cytoplasmic signalling components is derived from all or part of a tetraspan-transmembrane protein, CD43, CD6, a mannose, U17, IL-12 or complement receptor, an integrin-associated protein, or a &ggr;-chain associated with a cytokine receptor. The activated cell may be of use in medicine for example in the treatment of diseases such as cancer.

Abstract: Binding agents, such as antibodies, are described which selectively bind to the cluster-w4 polypeptide of human small cell lung carcinoma cells at a site located at and around valine-57 of the cluster-w4 polypeptide. The binding agents, either alone or linked to a reporter or effector molecule are of use in the diagnosis or treatment of human small cell lung carcinoma. Also described are peptides (A).sub.m -(T).sub.n -(T).sub.o -(K).sub.p -V-(A).sub.q -(G).sub.r -(G).sub.s -(A).sub.t -(L).sub.u having at least one of the core structures K-V-A, T-K-V, or V-A-G for use in the identification and/or preparation of binding agents according to the invention, as diagnostic reagents, or as immunostimulants.