THE USE OF ANTI-CCR7 MABS FOR THE PREVENTION OR TREATMENT OF GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE (GVHD)

摘要

The present invention provides a novel use and methods comprising antibodies, or antigen-binding fragments thereof, which bind to a CCR7 receptor for use as a novel therapeutic agent in prevention and/or treatment of graft versus host disease (GVHD), preferably in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), more preferably allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. GVHD of the invention can be acute (aGVHD) and/or chronic (cGVHD), preferably acute. The antibodies and antigen-binding fragments are capable of selectively depleting ex vivo or in vitro immune cells expressing CCR7 and are capable in vivo of selectively killing immune cells expressing a CCR7 receptor and of impairing/blocking migration and of activation of said immune cells, which are involved in the development and evolution of GVHD. The use of said antibodies for depleting, killing and impairing/blocking migration and activation of immune cells expressing CCR7 cells is disclosed, thus providing an alternative therapy for preventing and treating GVHD in both acute and chronic types.