MEASURING CIRCULATING THERAPEUTIC ANTIBODY, ANTIGEN AND ANTIGEN/ANTIBODY COMPLEXES USING ELISA ASSAYS
The present invention relates to the field of immunology and hyperproliferative diseases. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of detecting and monitoring therapeutic antibody:antigen complex, soluble antigen and soluble therapeutic antibody, wherein a patient has undergone at least one course of immunotherapy. Yet further, levels of therapeutic antibody:antigen complexes, soluble antigens or soluble therapeutic antibodies may be measured and used to stage or monitor a hyperproliferative disease.
1 .- 73 . (canceled)
74 . A method for determining a dosage of a therapeutic anti-CD20 antibody, the method comprising testing a sample from a human to measure the level of soluble CD20, wherein a high level of said soluble CD20 indicates that said human is to be treated with a high dosage of said therapeutic anti-CD20 antibody.
75 . The method of claim 74 , wherein said sample is selected from the group consisting of plasma, serum, and cell lysate.
76 . The method of claim 74 , wherein said therapeutic anti-CD20 antibody is Rituximab.
77 . The method of claim 74 , wherein said human is being treated for a B cell hyperproliferative disease.
78 . The method of claim 77 , wherein said B-cell hyperproliferative disease is chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, juvenile myelomonocyte leukemia, multiple myeloma, hairy cell leukemia, prolymphocytic leukemia, or lymphoma
79 . The method of claim 77 , wherein said B-cell hyperproliferative disease is chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
80 . The method of claim 74 , further comprising administering said therapeutic anti-CD20 antibody to said human.
81 . The method of claim76, further comprising administering said Rituximab to said human.