Michael W Roth

US Patent:

6838081, Jan 4, 2005

Filed:

Apr 2, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/647248

Inventors:

Michael Derek Roth - Los Angeles CA, US
Robert Alan Figlin - Los Angeles CA, US
Sylvia Marie Kiertscher - Los Angeles CA, US
Barbara Jennifer Gitlitz - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

A01N 6300
A61K 4500
A61K 3819
C12N 501
C12N 508

US Classification:

424 937, 424 9371, 424 852, 424 857, 435372, 435355, 435366, 435374, 435377, 435384, 435386, 435423

Abstract:

The present invention provides methods for enhancing the development of APC from precursor cells by administering a combination of GM-CSF and IL-4. The precursor cells include: cells contained in peripheral blood, CD cells and precursors in bone marrow. Thus, administration of GM-CSF and IL-4 can be used as a form of cytokine immunotherapy. One embodiment of the present invention involves systemic administration of GM-CSF and IL-4. In this embodiment, APC are required to directly access tumor antigens as they exist in vivo within the patient. A further embodiment of the present invention involves co-administration of a tumor-associated or tumor-specific antigen, with GM-CSF and IL-4, to induce antigen-specific immunity mediated by APC. Yet another embodiment of the present invention describes systemic administration of GM-CSF and IL-4 to achieve reduced tumor burden.