Abstract: The present invention relates to antibodies which are directed to the EGF receptor (HER 1) to be administered especially to humans and in particular for therapeutic use in tumors. The antibodies are modified whereby the modification results in a reduced propensity for the antibody to elicit an immune response upon administration to the human subject. The invention in particular relates to the modification of anti-EGFR antibody 425 in its different forms and fragments thereof to result in Mab 425 variants that are substantially non-immunogenic or less immunogenic than any non-modified counterpart when used in vivo.

Abstract: The invention relates to artificial modified proteins, preferably fusion proteins, having a reduced immunogenicity compared to the parent non-modified molecule when exposed to a species in vivo. The invention relates, above all, to novel immunoglobulin fusion proteins which essentially consist of an immunoglobulin molecule or a fragment thereof covalently fused via its C-terminus to the N-terminus of a biologically active non-immunoglobulin molecule, preferably a polypeptide or protein or a biologically active fragment thereof. In a specific embodiment, the invention relates to fusion proteins consisting of an Fe portion of an antibody which is fused as mentioned to the non-immunological target molecule which elicits biological or pharmacological efficacy. The molecules of the invention have amino acid sequences which are altered in one or more amino acid residue positions but have in principal the same biological activity as compared with the non-altered molecules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides to be administered especially to humans and in particular for therapeutic use. The polypeptides are modified polypeptides whereby the modification results in a reduced propensity for the polypeptide to elicit an immune response upon administration to the human subject. The invention in particular relates to the modification of human obesity protein (leptin) to result in leptin proteins that are substantially non-immunogenic or less immunogenic than any non-modified counterpart when used in vivo.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for producing fusion proteins with reduced immunogenicity. Fusion proteins of the invention include a junction region having an amino acid change that reduces the ability of a junctional epitope to bind to MHC Class II, thereby reducing its interaction with a T-cell receptor. Methods of the invention involve analyzing, changing, or modifying one or more amino acids in the junction region of a fusion protein in order to identify a T-cell epitope and reduce its ability to interact with a T cell receptor. Compositions and methods of the invention are useful in therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to carrier molecules derived from one animal or avian species or strains and which are substantially non-immunogenic when exposed to an immune system from a species or strain of another animal or avian creature. More particularly, the present invention provides deimmunized immunointeractive molecules and even more particular deimmunized antibodies for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications.