Methods for making antibody molecules having specificity for human IL-6
The invention relates to antibody molecules having specificity for antigenic determinants of IL-6, therapeutic uses of the antibody molecules and methods for producing said antibody molecules.
1. A cloning or expression vector comprising DNA comprising nucleotides 58-2008 of SEQ ID NO:15 and nucleotides 61-705 of SEQ ID NO:17.
2. A cultured host cell comprising the cloning or expression vector according to claim 1 .
3. A process for the production of an antibody having binding specificity for human IL-6, comprising culturing a host cell comprising a vector or vectors comprising 1) a DNA encoding the heavy chain of the antibody or variable region thereof, wherein said DNA comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:15, or nucleotides 58-2008 of SEQ ID NO:15 and 2) a DNA encoding the light chain of the antibody or variable region thereof, wherein said DNA comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:17, or nucleotides 61-705 of SEQ ID NO:17, under conditions suitable for the expression of the antibody and isolating the antibody.