Abstract: Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Human interferon-? protein analogs in which the asparagine at position 25, numbered in accordance with native human interferon-?, is recombinantly replaced with an aspartate residue exhibit a biological activity of human interferon-? (e.g. IFN-? 1b) at an increased level relative to IFN-? 1b. These analogs are obtained by introducing a gene coding for Asp25 IFN-? into a cell and expressing the recombinant protein. The resulting IFN-? protein analog is suitable for large scale manufacturing for incorporation in HA-containing or HA-free therapeutics for treatment of diseases including multiple sclerosis. A reduced Lys endoproteinase-C peptide map technique that produces a fingerprint profile for proteins using an enzymatic digest followed by RP-HPLC is also useful in quality control as an ID test for the IFN-? protein analog products.

Abstract: Compositions and methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40-expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Methods of therapy for treating diseases mediated by stimulation of CD40 signaling on CD40-expressing cells are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40 expressing cells, such as B cells.

Abstract: Methods of therapy for treating a subject for multiple myeloma are provided. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a patient in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Antagonist activity of the anti-antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits proliferation and/or differentiation of human CD40 expressing multiple myeloma cells.

Abstract: Methods of therapy are provided for treating a subject for a solid tumor that comprises carcinoma cells expressing the CD40 cell-surface antigen. The methods comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof to a subject in need thereof. The antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is free of significant agonist activity, but exhibits antagonist activity when the antibody binds a CD40 antigen on a human CD40-expressing cell. Binding of the anti-CD4 antibody or suitable antigen-binding fragment thereof beneficially inhibits growth of solid tumors via ADCC-dependent killing of the CD40-expressing carcinoma cells.

Abstract: Methods of treating a human subject for a cancer characterized by neoplastic B cell growth are provided. The methods comprise administering combination antibody therapy to the subject, where an effective amount of an antagonist anti-CD40 antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof in combination with an anti-CD20 antibody or antigenbinding fragment thereof is administered to the subject. The invention further comprises pharmaceutical compositions with combinations of these antibodies in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: Polynucleotides, vectors and host cells comprising a polynucleotide having a fragment of a leader sequence and a second nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide heterologous to the leader sequence, wherein the leader sequence fragment is sufficient for secretion and comprises an amino acid sequence that comprises at least about 70% sequence identity to the leader sequence of Pichia acaciae killer toxin, wherein the heterologous polypeptide is not naturally contiguous to the leader sequence, and wherein upon expression of the polynucleotide molecule in a host cell suitable for expression thereof, the heterologous polypeptide is produced that is free of additional N-terminal amino acids.

Abstract: Polynucleotides, vectors, and host cells comprising a polynucleotide having a fragment of a leader sequence and a second nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide heterologous to the leader sequence, wherein the leader sequence fragment is sufficient for secretion and comprises an amino acid sequence that comprises at least about 70% sequence identity to the leader sequence of Pichia acaciae killer toxin, wherein the heterologous polypeptide is not naturally contiguous to the leader sequence, and wherein upon expression of the polynucleotide molecule in a host cell suitable for expression thereof, the heterologous polypeptide is produced that is free of additional N-terminal amino acids.

Abstract: Chimeric proteins containing sequences from MCP and DAF and further containing peptide sequences capable of binding glycosaminoglycans. Nucleotide sequences encoding the chimeric proteins, expression vectors containing the nucleotide sequences, as well as transformed host cells capable of producing the chimeric proteins are claimed.