Patent ID: 8217152

Claim:
A method for the production of purified interleukin-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) comprising: culturing mammalian host cells expressing recombinant human IL-18BP into a cell culture supernatant, collecting said cell culture supernatant containing recombinant human IL-18BP and contacting it with an affinity chromatography matrix comprising an affinity ligand selected from the group consisting of wherein z comprises an amine, azide or hydroxyl group through which said affinity ligand is bound to said affinity chromatography matrix, allowing said recombinant human IL-18BP to bind to the affinity ligand attached to said affinity chromatography matrix; and eluting said recombinant human IL-18BP from said affinity ligand to purify said recombinant human IL-18BP using an eluent comprising phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and propylene glycol at pH 7.