Production of antibodies

Claim 2

A process for inducing an immune response in 8 GB 2 159 172 A 8 an animal body, comprising the steps of: A. providing a living cell which secretes an antigen capable of inducing an immune response in said animal body; B. encapsulating the cell within a membrane comprising pores and defining an intracapsular volume within which the cell is suspended; C. controlling the dimensions of the pores to permit passage of the said antigen therethrough but to preclude passage of the cell; D. implanting the encapsulated cell in the said animal body; and E. permitting the secreted antigen to traverse the membrane into the said animal body to induce an immune response.

Claim 3

The process according to claim 1, wherein the cell is selected from a eukaryotic cell, a prokaryotic cell, a genetically-modified cell and a hybridoma cell.

Claim 4

The process according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising the additional steps of supplying nut rients to the cell and allowing the cell to undergo mitosis to produce a plurality of the said cells.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 3, wherein the supplying step is conducted prior to the encapsulat ing step and a plurality of the said cells is encapsu lated in the encapsulating step.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 3, wherein the supplying step is conducted afterthe encapsulating step whereby a plurality of the said cells is produced within the intracapsular volume.

Claim 7

The process according to claim 3, wherein the supplying step is conducted after the implanting step.

Claim 8

The process according to any of claims 1 to 6, comprising the additional steps of. F. removing a lymphocyte which produces an antibody complementary to the said antigen from the said animal body; G. fusing the lymphocyte with an immortal cell line to form a hybridoma which produces the said 105 antibody; and H. culturing said hybridoma.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 7, wherein the immortal cell line comprises a myeloma.

Claim 10

The process according to any of claims 1 to 8, 110 comprising the additional step of harvesting an antibody complementary to the said antibody from the circulatory system of the animal body.

Claim 11

10-. The process according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the said antigen has a molecular weight greater than about 100, 000 daltons.

Claim 12

The process according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cell additionally secretes an IgM and wherein the dimensions of the membrane pores are controlled such that IgM is substantially retained within the intracapsular volume.

Claim 13

The process according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the cell is a prokaryotic cell which secretes a pyrogen having a molecular weight greater than about 70rOOO daltons, the said antigen has a molecular weightless than about 70rOOO daltons, and during the pore-controlling step, the dimensions of the pores are controlled such that at least a portion of the pyrogen is retained within the intracapsular volume.

Claim 14

A process for producing monoclonal antibody complementary to an antigen secreted by a cell, comprising the steps of. A. encapsulating the cell within a membrane defining an intracapsular volume within which the cell is suspended, the membrane having pores having dimensions sufficient to permit passage of the antigen therethrough but to preclude passage of the cell; B. implanting the encapsulated cell in an animal body; C. permitting the secreted antigen to traverse the membrane into the animal body to induce a lymphocyte to produce antibody complementary to the secreted antigen; D. removing the lymphocyte from the animal body; E. fusing the lymphocyte with an immortal cell line to form a hybridoma which produces the said antibody; and F. harvesting monoclonal antibody produced by said hybridoma.

Claim 15

A process for producing monoclonal antibody complementary to an antigen secreted by a cell, comprising the steps of. A. encapsulating the cell within a membrane defining an intracapsular volume within which the cell is suspended, the membrane having pores having dimensions sufficient to permit passage of the antigen therethrough but to preclude passage of the cell; B. implanting the encapsulated cell in an animal body; C. permitting the secreted antigen to traverse the membrane into the animal body to induce a lymphocyte to produce antibody complementary to the secreted antigen; D. removing the lymphocyte from the animal body; E. fusing the lymphocyte with an immortal cell line to form a hybridoma which produces the said antibody; and F. harvesting monoclonal antibody produced by said hybridoma.

Claim 16

The process according to claim 13, wherein the immortal cell comprises a myeloma.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the said cell is a genetically-modified cell, a hybridoma cell, a eukaryotic cell or a prokaryotic cell.

Claim 18

The process according to any of claims 13to 15, comprising the additional step of supplying nutrients to the cell and allowing the cell to undergo mitosis to produce a plurality of said cells.

Claim 19

The process according to claim 16, wherein the supplying step is conducted prior to the encapsulating step and wherein a plurality of said cells is encapsulated in the encapsulating step.

Claim 20

The process according to claim 16, wherein the supplying step is conducted after the implanting step whereby a plurality of the said cells is produced within the intracapsular volume.

Claim 21

The process according to any of claims 13to 18, wherein said antigen has a molecular weight greater than about 100,000 daltons.

Claim 22

The process according to any of claims 13 to 19, wherein the cell secretes a glycolipid, glycoprotein, lipoprotein, polysaccharide or protein having a molecular weight greater than about 400,000 daltons, and the said antigen has a molecular weight less than about 400,000 daltons, and the process comprises the additional step of controlling the dimensions of the membrane pores during the encapsulating step such that at least a portion of the glycolipid, glycoprotein, lipoprotein, polysaccharide or protein is retained within the intracapsular volume.

Claim 23

The process according to any of claims 13 to 18, wherein the cell secretes a pyrogen having a molecular weight greater than about 70,000 daltons and the said antigen has a molecular weightless than about 70,000 daltons, and the process compris- es the additional step of controlling the dimensions of the membrane pores during the encapsulating step such that at least a portion of the pyrogen is retained within the intracapsular volume.

Claim 24

The process according to any of claims 13 to 21, wherein the membrane comprises pores of 9 GB 2 159 172 A 9 dimensions sufficieritto permittraverse of the said antigen but to retain at least a portion of high molecular weight substances secreted by the cell.

Claim 25

The process according to any of the preced- ing claims, wherein the encapsulated.cell is implanted subcutaneously by injection.

Claim 26

A process of obtaining an antibody or a lymphocyte which produces an antibody by inducing an immune response in an animal body, sub- stantially as herein described by way of example. Printed in the U K for H M SO, D8818935,10,85,7102. Published by The Patent Office. 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A l AY, from which copies may be obtained. 24. A process for inducing an immune response in an animal body, substantially as herein described byway of example. 25. A process for producing monoclonal antibody complementary to an antigen secreted by a cell, substantially as herein described by way of example. 26. An antibody harvested from an animal body or from cultured hybridoma cells by use of the processes claimed in any of the preceding claims 1 to 12, 23 or 24 or claims 13 to 23 and

Claim 27

New claims claims filed on 9.5.85 Superseded claims 1,7,9,24 New or amended claims: 1. A process of obtaining an antibody or a lymphocyte which produces an antibody by induc- ing an immune response in an animal body, comprising the steps of: A. providing a living cell which secretes an antigen capable of inducing an immune response in said animal body; B. encapsulating the cell within a membrane comprising pores and defining an intracapsular volume within which the cell is suspended; C. controlling the dimensions of the pores to permit passage of the said antigen therethrough but to preclude passage of the cell; D. implanting the encapsulated cell in the said animal body; E. permitting the secreted antigen to traverse the membrane into the said animal body to induce an immune response, and F. from the animal body, either harvesting an antibody complementary to the antigen, or removing a lymphocyte which produces an antibody complementary to the antigen. 7. The process according to any of claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps of: removing the lymphocyte which produces the said antibody; fusing the lymphocyte with an immortal cell line to form a hybridoma which produces the said antibody;and culturing said hybridoma. 9. The process according to any of claims 1 to 8, comprising the step of harvesting an antibody complementary to the said antigen from the circulatory system of the animal body.