Patent ID: 6812026
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K

Abstract:
A method for detecting an antigenic epitope on a cell surface, comprising contacting said antigenic epitope with an antibody having a binding affinity to said antigenic epitope, wherein said antigenic epitope is of a complex formed between two members of a binding couple and is a member of a group consisting of:(i) an epitope consisting of a sequence in a member of a binding couple, which becomes substantially more accessible to antibodies or assumes a new conformation after binding of the two members to one another, (ii) an epitope consisting of two or more sequences in a member of binding couple which upon binding of the two members, become closely associated to form an antigenic epitope, and (iii) an epitope consisting of two or more sequences, at least one being in one member of a binding couple, and at least one other being in the other member of the binding couple and upon binding of the two members, said two or more amino acid sequences become closely associated with one another to form an antigenic epitope; said antigenic epitope being immunogenic and wherein said binding is at least 5 fold higher than the antibody's binding affinity to either of the two members themselves.