Patent ID: 6589764
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K

Abstract:
An isolated protein comprising at least one first polypeptide linked to at least one second polypeptide, wherein said first polypeptide binds to IL-18, and further wherein said first polypeptide is encoded by a DNA selected from the group consisting of:a) DNA comprising the coding region of the nucleotide sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:3; b) DNA that is complementary to DNA capable of hybridizing to the DNA of (a) under highly stringent conditions (hybridization at 68Â° C. followed by washing in 0.1Ã—SSC/0.1% SDS at 63-68Â° C.); and, c) DNA that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:4; and, wherein said second polypeptide is encoded by a DNA selected from the group consisting of: aâ€²) DNA comprising the coding region of the nucleotide sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:1; bâ€²) DNA that is complementary to DNA capable of hybridizing to the DNA of (aâ€²) under highly stringent conditions (hybridization at 68Â° C. followed by washing in 0.1Ã—SSC/0.1% SDS at 63-68Â° C.); and câ€²) DNA that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the isolated protein binds IL-18 with an affinity greater than that of the first polypeptide alone.