Anti-CSF-IR antibody

1 . A monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, which binds to CSF-1R (Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor), wherein said monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, comprises: (a) a light chain variable domain having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and (b) a heavy chain variable domain having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.

2 . The monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 , wherein CSF-1R is human CSF-1R.

3 . The monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 , wherein the epitope of the monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, comprises a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 (YKNIHLEKKY).

4 . The monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the two tyrosine residues of said epitope is phosphorylated.

5 . The monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 4 , wherein both tyrosine residues of said epitope are phosphorylated.

6 . A monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, comprising:

(a) a light chain variable domain comprising

(a1) a light chain CDR1 having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 (QSSESVYSNNFLS),

(a2) a light chain CDR2 having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 (EASKVAS), and

(a3) a light chain CDR3 having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 (AGGYDVSDDA),

and

(b) a heavy chain variable domain comprising

(b1) a heavy chain CDR1 having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 7 (TASGFSLSRYWMT),

(b2) a heavy chain CDR2 having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 (RSGNTYFADWAKG), and

(b3) a heavy chain CDR3 having a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 (GGQNNGYDL).

7 . A method for detecting CSF-1R in a sample in vitro, comprising:

(a) contacting the sample with the monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 ; and

(b) detecting binding of said antibody to CSF-1R in the sample.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein

(a) the sample has been contacted with a candidate compound for the treatment of cancer, or wherein the sample has been obtained from a subject who has been contacted with said candidate compound,

(b) the sample is a cancer cell or cancer tissue,

(c) the subject is a mammalian subject such as a human subject,

(d) the detection of CSF-1R is the quantitative detection of CSF-1R, and/or

(e) the detection of CSF-1R is the immunohistochemical detection of CSF-1R.

9 . A method for detecting CSF-1R in a sample, comprising

(a) contacting a sample comprising CSF-1R with the monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 , thereby forming a complex comprising CSF-1R and said monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, and

(b) detecting the complex formed in step (a), thereby detecting CSF-1R in said sample.

10 . A complex comprising the monoclonal antibody, or fragment thereof, of claim 1 and CSF-1R.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein said CSF-1R comprises a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 699 of human CSF-1R and/or a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 708 of human CSF-1R.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein said CSF-1R comprises a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 699 of human CSF-1R and/or a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 708 of human CSF-1R.

13 . The method of the method of claim 9 , wherein said CSF-1R comprises a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 699 of human CSF-1R and/or a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 708 of human CSF-1R.

14 . A method for detecting a complex in vitro, comprising:

(a) providing the complex of claim 10 ; and

(b) detecting said complex,

wherein said CSF-1R comprises a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 699 of human CSF-1R and/or a phosphorylated tyrosine residue at a position which corresponds to position 708 of human CSF-1R.