Anti-PD-1 antibodies and methods of use thereof

1. A method for treating cancer in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject (1) an effective amount of an isolated antagonist antibody that specifically binds to PD-1 and comprises:

a heavy chain variable region (VH) comprising a VH complementarity determining region one (CDR1), VH CDR2, and VH CDR3 of the VH having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4; SEQ ID NO: 5; and SEQ ID NO: 6; and

a light chain variable region (VL) comprising a VL CDR1, VL CDR2, and VL CDR3 of the VL having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2; SEQ ID NO:7; SEQ ID NO: 8; and SEQ ID NO: 9,

and (2) an effective amount of a vaccine capable of eliciting an immune response against cells of the cancer.

2. A method for enhancing the immunogenicity or therapeutic effect of a vaccine administered to a subject for the treatment of cancer, the method comprising administering to the subject receiving the vaccine an effective amount of an isolated antagonist antibody that specifically binds to PD-1 and comprises:

a heavy chain variable region (VH) comprising a VH complementarity determining region one (CDR1), VH CDR2, and VH CDR3 of the VH having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4; SEQ ID NO: 5; and SEQ ID NO: 6; and

a light chain variable region (VL) comprising a VL CDR1, VL CDR2, and VL CDR3 of the VL having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2; SEQ ID NO:7; SEQ ID NO: 8; and SEQ ID NO: 9.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cancer is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more other immune modulators.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more other immune modulators.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the other immune modulators are selected from the group consisting of protein kinase receptor inhibitor, a CTLA-4 antagonist, a CD40 agonist, and a TLR9 agonist.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the other immune modulators are selected from the group consisting of protein kinase receptor inhibitor, a CTLA-4 antagonist, a CD40 agonist, and a TLR9 agonist.

9. The method of claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the vaccine is a (i) cell-based vaccine, (ii) subunit vaccine, (iii) protein-based vaccine, (iv) peptide-based vaccine, or (v) nucleic acid-based vaccine.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vaccine is nucleic acid-based vaccine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the nucleic acid-based vaccine is a DNA-based vaccine, RNA-based vaccine, plasm id-based vaccine, or viral vector-based vaccine.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vaccine is selected from the group consisting of:

(1) a vaccine capable of eliciting an immune response against a tumor associated antigen (TAA) selected from PSA, PSCA, PSMA, CEA, MUC-1, TERT, mesothelin, EGF-R, or MAGE-A3;

(2) a vaccine containing a peptide antigen derived from a TAA selected from PSA, PSCA, PSMA, CEA, MUC-1, TERT, mesothelin, EGF-R, or MAGE-A3; and

(3) a vaccine containing a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a peptide antigen derived from a TAA selected from PSA, PSCA, PSMA, CEA, MUC-1, TERT, mesothelin, EGF-R, or MAGE-A3.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the vaccine contains a nucleic acid molecule that encodes one or more immunogenic polypeptides derived from PSA, one or more immunogenic polypeptides derived from PSCA, or one or more immunogenic polypeptides derived from PSMA.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of:

(1) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide derived from the human PSMA of SEQ ID NO:42;

(2) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide comprising amino acids 15-750 of SEQ ID NO:42;

(3) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:43, or a degenerate variant thereof;

(4) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:44, or a degenerate variant thereof;

(5) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:45, or a degenerate variant thereof;

(6) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:46, or a degenerate variant thereof;

(7) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide derived from the human PSA of SEQ ID NO:47;

(8) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide comprising amino acids 25-261 of SEQ ID NO:47;

(9) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide derived from the human PSCA of SEQ ID NO:48;

(10) a nucleic acid molecule encoding (i) an immunogenic polypeptide derived from the human PSMA of SEQ ID NO:42, (ii)) an immunogenic polypeptide derived from the human PSA of SEQ ID NO:47, and (iii) an immunogenic polypeptide derived from the human PSCA of SEQ ID NO:48; and

(11) a nucleic acid molecule encoding (i) an immunogenic polypeptide comprising amino acids 15-750 of SEQ ID NO:42, (ii) an immunogenic polypeptide comprising amino acids 25-261 of SEQ ID NO:47, and (iii) an immunogenic polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:48.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:46, or a degenerate variant thereof.