MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES THAT POTENTLY NEUTRALIZE HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) OF DIVERSE GENOTYPES

摘要

This invention provides potent HCV neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and portions thereof that inhibit entry of HCV into susceptible cells. The neutralizing monoclonal antibodies of the invention are broadly reactive against HCV of different genotypes, including genotypes 1 and 2. A particular monoclonal antibody, designated PA-29, does not bind soluble or independently-expressed HCV E1 and E2 envelope glycoproteins. A hybridoma cell line producing the PA-29 monoclonal antibody has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-7632. The described monoclonal antibodies, including PA-29 and humanized and chimeric forms thereof, serve as HCV antagonists for use in therapeutic and prophylactic methods of treating and preventing HIV infection of susceptible cells, in methods of blocking HCV entry into susceptible cells and in methods of diagnosis and detection of HCV in a sample of a subject and within a subject.