DIAGNOSTIC ASSAYS AND KITS FOR DETECTION OF FOLATE RECEPTOR 1

1 - 50 . (canceled)

51 . An antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to FOLR1, wherein said antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof competitively inhibits binding to FOLR1 of an antibody selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an antibody comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:25 and the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 29;

(b) an antibody comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:26 and the polypeptide of SEQ ID N0:30;

(c) an antibody comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:27 and the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:31; and

(d) an antibody comprising the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:28 and the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:32.

52 - 72 . (canceled)

73 . A nucleic acid molecule encoding the antibody, antigen-binding fragment thereof of claim 51 .

74 - 155 . (canceled)

156 . A method of treating cancer in a human patient comprising administering to the human patient an active agent comprising a maytansinoid conjugated to an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) , wherein the human patient has FOLR1 protein levels that were measured using a detection antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprising variable heavy chain CDR amino acid sequences VH-CDR1, VH-CDR2, and VH-CDR3, and variable light chain CDR amino acid sequences VL-CDR1, VL-CDR2, and VL-CDR3 selected from the group consisting of:

(a) SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, and 3 and SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, and 15, respectively;

(b) SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, and 6 and SEQ ID NOs: 16, 17, and 18, respectively;

(c) SEQ ID NOs: 7, 8, and 9 and SEQ ID NOs: 19, 20, and 21, respectively; and

(d) SEQ ID NOs: 10, 11, and 12 and SEQ ID NOs: 22, 23, and 24, respectively, and

wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of the active agent comprises VH-CDR1, VH-CDR2, and VH-CDR3, and VL-CDR1, VL-CDR2, and VL-CDR3 comprising GYFMN (SEQ ID NO:50); RIHPYDGDTFYNQKFQG (SEQ ID NO:51), YDGSRAMDY (SEQ ID NO:52); KASQSVSFAGTSLMH (SEQ ID NO:53); RASNLEA (SEQ ID NO:54); and QQSREYPYT (SEQ ID NO:55), respectively.

157 - 162 . (canceled)

163 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the detection antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises variable heavy chain CDR amino acid sequences VH-CDR1, VH-CDR2, and VH-CDR3 of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and variable light chain CDR amino acid sequences VL-CDR1, VL-CDR2, and VL-CDR3 of SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, and 15, respectively.

164 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the detection antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a variable heavy chain (VH) comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:25 and a variable light chain (VL) comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29.

165 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the detection antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises variable heavy chain (VH) and variable light chain (VL) amino acid sequences comprises amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of:

(a) SEQ ID NO:25 and SEQ ID NO:29, respectively;

(b) SEQ ID NO:26 and SEQ ID NO:30, respectively;

(c) SEQ ID NO:27 and SEQ ID NO:31, respectively; and

(d) SEQ ID NO:28 and SEQ ID NO:32, respectively.

166 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof of the active agent comprises a heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46 and a light chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:48.

167 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the maytansinoid is N(2′)-deacetyl-N(2′)-(4-mercapto-4-methyl-1-oxopentyl)-maytansine (DM4).

168 . The method of claim 166 , wherein the maytansinoid is N(2′)-deacetyl-N(2′)-(4-mercapto-4-methyl-1-oxopentyl)-maytansine (DM4).

169 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the active agent comprises N(2′)-deacetyl-N(2′)-(4-mercapto-4-methyl-1-oxopentyl)-maytansine (DM4) conjugated to an anti-FOLR1 antibody comprising a heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46 and a light chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:48 via a N-succinimidyl 4-(2-pyridyldithio)-2-sulfobutanoate (sulfo-SPDB) linker.

170 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the cancer is ovarian cancer, cancer of the peritoneum, or cancer of the fallopian tubes.

171 . The method of claim 170 , wherein the cancer is ovarian cancer.

172 . The method of claim 171 , wherein the ovarian cancer is platinum resistant or platinum refractory.

173 . The method of claim 170 , wherein the cancer is cancer of the peritoneum.

174 . The method of claim 170 , wherein the cancer is cancer of the fallopian tubes.

175 . The method of claim 164 , wherein the active agent comprises N(2′)-deacetyl-N(2′)-(4-mercapto-4-methyl-1-oxopentyl)-maytansine (DM4) conjugated to an anti-FOLR1 antibody comprising a heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46 and a light chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:48 via a N-succinimidyl 4-(2-pyridyldithio)-2-sulfobutanoate (sulfo-SPDB) linker.

176 . The method of claim 175 , wherein the cancer is ovarian cancer, cancer of the peritoneum, or cancer of the fallopian tubes.

177 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the patient’s FOLR1 protein levels were measured by an immunohistochemical assay or flow cytometry.

178 . The method of claim 156 , wherein the patient’s FOLR1 protein levels were measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

179 . The method of claim 175 , wherein the antibody of the active agent is an IgG1 antibody.