Abstract: The invention provides a method of prognosis of a subject with an infection, identifying a subject at greater risk of death from an infection and/or identifying a subject at greater risk of developing an infection, the method comprising detecting an amount of free light chains (FLC) in a sample from the subject, wherein a higher amount of FLC is associated with decreased survival due to the infection and/or increased risk from an infection and/or having an increased risk of developing an infection. A method of monitoring an infection, comprising detecting an amount of free light chains (FLC) in a sample from a patient having an infection and comparing the amount of FLC in the sample with an amount of FLC detected in a sample previously obtained from the patient, wherein an increase in the amount FLC detected, compared to the previous sample, indicates an increase in the infection in the patient, and a decrease in the amount of FLC indicates a decrease in the infection in the patient.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of prognosis of a subject with a cancer, identifying a subject having a greater risk of having an undiagnosed cancer and/or identifying a subject at greater risk of developing a cancer the method comprising detecting an amount of free light chains (FLC) in a sample from a subject, wherein a higher amount of FLC is associated with decreased survival due to a cancer and/or increased risk of the subject having an undiagnosed cancer and/or having an increased risk of developing a cancer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of identifying a subject likely to have liver disease, or for determining the prognosis of a subject previously identified as having a liver disease comprising detecting an amount of free light chains in a sample from the subject, wherein a higher amount of FLC is associated with an increased likelihood of the subject having a liver disease or an increased likelihood of having a poor prognosis of a liver disease. Assay kits for use in such methods are also provided.

Abstract: Assay kit and Assay for determination of likely survival of a subject Assay kits for determining the total amount of free-light chains (FLC) in a sample are provided. Also provided are a general health screen method comprising detecting an amount of free light chains (FLC) in a sample from a subject, wherein a lower amount of FLC is associated with increased survival and/or better general health of the subject, and a higher level of FLC indicates the possible presence of an undetected medical problem.

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: 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.

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.