Immunological reagents employing polymeric backbones

Claim 2

An immunological substance detecting reagent comprising: a) a water soluble polymer; and b) an immunological homolog, specific for the substance to be detected, conjugated to the polymer by an attaching means; characterised in that: the water soluble polymer is a non-crosslinked and non-primary amine containing polymer having a net charge not greater than zero; and only one immunological homolog is bound to each water soluble polymer.

Claim 3

The reagent of claim 1, having a marker substance conjugated to the water soluble polymer, the water soluble polymer-marker substance conjugate having in combination a net charge not greater than zero.

Claim 4

The reagent of claim 2, wherein the marker substance is covalently bound to the water soluble polymer.

Claim 5

The reagent of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the water soluble polymer-marker substance-attaching means conjugate in combination has a net charge not greater than zero.

Claim 6

The reagent of any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the marker substance is a non-fluorescent dye, a fluorescent dye, a radioisotope, an electron opaque substance, an enzyme, a second immunological homolog of differing specificity than the first homolog, or microspheres.

Claim 7

A therapeutic reagent comprising: a) a water soluble polymer; b) an antibody, specific for an antigen present at a site associated with tissue, conjugated to the polymer by an attaching means; and c) a therapeutic substance, which is a radiotherapeutic substance, vitamin, tumor-inhibiting drug or tissue affecting material desired to be delivered to the antigenic site, conjugated to the polymer, wherein the water soluble polymer is a non-crosslinked and non-primary amine containing polymer, the water soluble polymer-therapeutic substance conjugate having in combination a net charge not greater than zero.

Claim 8

A therapeutic reagent comprising: a) a water soluble polymer; b) an antibody, specific for an antigen present at a site associated with tissue, conjugated to the polymer by an attaching means; and c) a therapeutic substance, which is a radiotherapeutic substance, vitamin, tumor-inhibiting drug or tissue affecting material desired to be delivered to the antigenic site, conjugated to the polymer, wherein the water soluble polymer is a non-crosslinked and non-primary amine containing polymer, the water soluble polymer-therapeutic substance conjugate having in combination a net charge not greater than zero.

Claim 9

The reagent of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the attaching means includes an activated group on the homolog, an activated coupling reagent, an activated or activatable group on the polymer, a covalent bond, or a biotin-avidin complex.

Claim 10

The reagent of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the water soluble polymer is polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyallylalcohol, a polymer combination of the foregoing, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, a natural water soluble polymer, or a synthetic water soluble polymer.

Claim 11

The reagent of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the attaching means includes a biotin-avidin complex and the marker substance in a fluorescent dye.