Monoclonal antibodies specific for the chemotactic epitope of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor

1. A monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof specific for the chemotactic epitope of activated urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), wherein the monoclonal antibody is selected from the group consisting of 7G1 and 8D3.

2. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds the chemotactic epitope comprising the sequence SRSRY (SEQ ID NO: 10).

3. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds the chemotactic epitope comprising the sequence AVTY (SEQ ID NO: 11).

4. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds the chemotactic epitope comprising the sequence AVTYSRSRY (SEQ ID NO: 13).

5. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds the chemotactic epiptope comprising the sequence AVTYSRSRYLEC (SEQ ID NO: 9).

6. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds the chemotactic epiptope comprising the sequence YSRSRY (SEQ ID NO: 19) or SRSRYL (SEQ ID NO: 20), or both.

7. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds an epitope comprising the sequence AVTYSRSRYLEC (SEQ ID NO: 9), or a stretch of 4-12 contiguous amino acids of the sequence AVTYSRSRYLEC (SEQ ID NO: 9).

8. The monoclonal antibody or fragment thereof as claimed in claim 7 that binds an epitope comprising a stretch of at least 5 contiguous amino acids of the sequence AVTYSRSRYLEC (SEQ ID NO: 9).

9. The monoclonal antibody or fragment thereof as claimed in claim 8 that binds an epitope comprising a stretch of at least 6 contiguous amino acids of the sequence AVTYSRSRYLEC (SEQ ID NO: 9).

10. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 that binds in vivo or in vitro generated, or both, chemotactically active uPAR fragments.

11. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof according to claim 1 , which is selected from a single chain antibody or a short chain antibody fragment wherein at least the complementary determination region (CDR-region) is maintained.

12. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment or an thereof according to claim 1 , which is a genetically modified monoclonal antibody, and wherein at least the complementary determination region (CDR-region) is maintained.

13. The monoclonal antibody, fragment or immunological equivalent thereof according to claim 12 , wherein the genetically modified monoclonal antibody is selected from the group consisting of a chimeric antibody or a partially or fully humanized antibody.

14. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 , capable of binding the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 , D2D3 85-274 , D2D3 86-274 , D2D3 82-274 , D2D3 88-274 , D2D3 89-274 or D2D3 90-274 .

15. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 14 , capable of binding the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 .

16. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 , capable of binding the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 in a concentration of at least 0.250 ng/ml.

17. The monoclonal antibody, fragment or immunological equivalent thereof as claimed in claim 16 , capable of specifically recognizing the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 in a concentration of at least 0.125 ng/ml.

18. The monoclonal antibody, fragment or immunological equivalent thereof as claimed in claim 16 , capable of specifically recognizing the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 in a concentration of at least 0.0125 ng/ml.

19. The monoclonal antibody, fragment or immunological equivalent thereof as claimed in claim 16 , capable of specifically recognizing the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 in a concentration of at least 0.00125 ng/ml.

20. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 , having a specificity for the uPAR fragment D2D3 84-274 which is at least 100 fold higher than for the uPAR fragment D2 D3 93-274 .

21. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 , capable of blocking tumor cell proliferation in vitro.

22. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 , capable of inhibiting tumor formation in vivo.

23. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 , capable of blocking cell migration.

24. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof of claim 18 , having an inhibitory activity of at least 40% on cell migration.

25. The monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof according to claim 1 , which is linked to a label.

26. The monoclonal antibody 7G1 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is produced by cell line 7G1/87 deposited as Accession No. DSM ACC 2716.

27. The monoclonal antibody 8D3 as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is produced by cell line 8D3/18 deposited as Accession No. DSM ACC 2717.

28. A reagent kit comprising at least one monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof, as claimed in claim 1 and further reagents suitable for diagnostic applications.

29. A cell producing a monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 .

30. The cell according to claim 29 which is a eukaryotic, a mammalian, a CHO or a hybridoma cell.

31. Hybridoma cell line 7G1/87, deposited as Accession No. DSM ACC 2716.

32. A method of producing monoclonal antibody 7G1 comprising culturing the hybridoma cell line as claimed in claim 31 to produce monoclonal antibody 7G1, and then purifying the monoclonal antibody 7G1.

33. Hybridoma cell line 8D3/18, deposited as Accession No. DSM ACC 2717.

34. A method of producing monoclonal antibody 8D3 comprising culturing the hybridoma cell line as claimed in claim 33 to produce monoclonal antibody 8D3, and then purifying the monoclonal antibody 8D3.

35. A pharmaceutical or diagnostic composition comprising as active ingredient at least one monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof as claimed in claim 1 and further pharmaceutically or diagnostically acceptable carriers and adjuvants.