FUSION PROTEINS COMPRISING GM-CSF AND FC FRAGMENT WITH MODIFIED HINGE REGION

摘要

A fusion protein having a non-immunoglobulin polypeptide having a cysteine residue proximal to the C-terminal thereof, and an immunoglobulin component with a mutated hinge region is provided. In one embodiment the non-immunoglobulin component comprises human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The mutation comprises a point mutated site located at a position corresponding to the position in a native hinge region of the cysteine residue located nearest the cysteine residue of the non-Ig component. The distance from the cysteine residue of the non-immunoglobulin polypeptide and any remaining cysteine residues of the mutated hinge region is sufficient to prevent the formation of a disulphide bond therebetween.