Identification and characterization of fully human anti-CD22 monoclonal antibodies.

CD22 is a member of the B cell receptor family and is implicated in B cell function and development. It is expressed on multiple forms of B cell lymphoma and is an attractive cancer therapeutic target. We report here the identification of two fully human anti-CD22 antibodies using phage display methodology. Both antibodies exhibit specific binding to cell surface-associated CD22 in multiple B cell lines. Through ELISA using mammalian cell-expressed sub-domains of CD22 as binding antigen, we mapped the binding epitopes of the newly identified CD22 antibodies to be within the Ig-like domains 5 to 7 of CD22. Their epitopes do not overlap with those of several therapeutic antibodies currently in preclinical or clinical development. These antibodies have potential as cancer therapeutic candidates and research reagents.