Anti-stem cell factor antibodies and methods of use thereof in renal diseases

Abstract

To provide anti-stem cell factor antibodies and methods of use thereof in renal diseases.SOLUTION: The disclosure relates to methods of use in renal diseases and disorders of antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof that bind to Stem Cell Factor (SCF). The antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof specifically bind to SCF248 and are useful for treating inflammatory and fibrotic renal disorders. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for treating renal diseases or disorders, comprising administering to a patient having a renal disease or disorder an antibody or a fragment thereof that specifically binds to Stem Cell Factor (SCF).SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 900,927, filed September 16, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Description of electronically submitted text files The contents of the text file submitted electronically herewith are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: Computer Readable Copy of Sequence Listing (Filename: OPSL_001_02WO_SeqList_ST25, Data Recorded: September 16, 2020, File Size: 58 KB) [Background technology]

[0003] Inflammatory diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Some types of chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue as a reparative or reactive process, as opposed to the formation of fibrous tissue as a normal component of the organ or tissue. Chronic inflammation and fibrosis can affect almost every tissue and organ system, and fibrous tissue remodeling can affect cancer metastasis in transplant recipients and accelerate chronic graft rejection. Chronic inflammation of the kidney can lead to fibrotic diseases with high mortality rates.

[0004] Stem cell factor (SCF) and its receptor c-Kit are important factors in the maintenance of chronic inflammation and fibrotic diseases (El-Koraie, et al., Kidney Int. 60:167 (2001); Powell, et al., Am. J. Physiol. 289:G2 (2005); El Kossi, et al., Am. J. Kidney Dis. 41:785 (2003); Powell, et al., Am. J. Physiol. 277:C183 (1999); Ding et al. J Pathol. 2013 Jun;230(2):205-14.; Berlin et al. Lab Invest. 2006 Jun;86(6):557-65; Rasky et al. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2020 Jan 1;318(1):L200-L211). c-Kit is a type III receptor tyrosine kinase present in many cell types (Orr-Urtreger et al., Development 109:911 (1990)). Immune cells such as mast cells, eosinophils, and innate lymphoid cell types 2 and 3 (ILC2 and ILC3) are all c-Kit+ cells that can drive chronic inflammatory processes, depending on the associated disease and organ. At the onset of an inflammatory response, various mediators, including SCF, activate c-Kit+ immune cells, which in turn produce cytokines and convert fibroblasts into activated myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts secrete extracellular matrix proteins, collagen, and fibronectin, leading to tissue fibrosis. Activated myofibroblasts, activated epithelial, endothelial, macrophage, eosinophil, mast cell, monocyte, and other cells also express SCF on their cell surface, which activates more c-Kit+ immune cells, resulting in more cytokine release and perpetuating inflammation. There is a need in the art for more effective and more specific treatments for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases of the kidney. The present disclosure addresses this and other needs. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] El-Koraie, et al., Kidney Int. 60:167 (2001) [Non-Patent Document 2] Powell, et al., Am. J. Physiol. 289:G2 (2005) [Non-Patent Document 3] El Kossi, et al., Am. J. Kidney Dis. 41:785 (2003) [Non-Patent Document 4] Powell, et al., Am. J. Physiol. 277:C183 (1999) [Non-Patent Document 5] Ding et al J Pathol. 20 May 2013; 230(2):205-14. [Non-Patent Document 6] Berlin et al Lab Invest. 2006 Jun; 86(6):557-65 [Non-Patent Document 7] Rasky et al Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2020 Jan 1; 318(1):L200-L211 [Non-Patent Document 8] Orr-Urtreger et al., Development 109:911 (1990) [Summary of the Invention] [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0006] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of treating renal diseases and disorders, comprising administering to a patient having a renal disease or disorder an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds stem cell factor (SCF). In embodiments, the renal disease or disorder is an inflammatory renal disease, a fibrotic renal disease, and / or a tissue-remodeling renal disease. In embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof for use in the methods provided herein specifically bind to the SCF isoform SCF248. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof for use in the methods provided herein comprise heavy chain complementarity-determining regions (CDRs), where heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprise SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof for use in the methods provided herein comprise light chain CDRs, where light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprise SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, and 6, respectively. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof for use in the methods provided herein comprise heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprise SEQ ID NOs: 1, 37, and 3, respectively. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof comprise a heavy chain variable region comprising at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof comprise a light chain variable region comprising at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof comprise a heavy chain variable region comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, and a light chain variable region comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

[0007] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a method for treating inflammatory and / or fibrotic diseases of the kidney, comprising administering to a subject an antibody or fragment thereof comprising the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof of claim 1 comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:10 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:11 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16.

[0008] In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof is humanized. In some embodiments, the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. In some embodiments, the antibody comprises a human IgG1 domain or a human IgG4 domain. In some embodiments, the antibody is an antigen-binding fragment, the fragment being selected from Fab, F(ab')2, Fab', scFv, and a single domain antibody (sdAb).

[0009] In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof blocks the interaction between SCF (e.g., SCF248) and c-kit. In some embodiments, the antibody specifically binds to SCF248. In some embodiments, the antibody does not bind to SCF220. In some embodiments, the antibody prevents the interaction of SCF248 with c-kit by causing internalization of SCF, making it unavailable on the cell surface.

[0010] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent, or excipient.

[0011] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding the antibody or fragment thereof. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a recombinant host cell comprising the expression vector.

[0012] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for producing an antibody that specifically binds stem cell factor isoform 248 (SCF248), comprising immunizing a host animal with a peptide comprising SEQ ID NO:30 (ASSLRNDSSSSNRKAKNPPGD) or a fragment thereof, and obtaining the antibody from the immunized host animal. In some embodiments, the host animal is not human. In some embodiments, the fragment of SEQ ID NO:30 comprises at least 5, at least 6, at least 7, at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, at least 13, at least 14, at least 15, at least 16, at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, or 20 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:30. In some embodiments, a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 30 comprises 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 30. In some embodiments, the N-terminal amino acid of a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 30 is alanine at position 1 of the N-terminus of SEQ ID NO: 30. In some embodiments, the method includes immunizing a host animal with a peptide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 30. In some embodiments, antibodies from the immunized host animal are obtained from immune cells isolated from the host animal. In some embodiments, the method further includes generating hybridomas using the immune cells. Thus, in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides hybridomas that produce the monoclonal antibodies described herein.

[0013] In one aspect, the disclosure provides an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to SCF248, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof binds to an epitope comprising at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, or at least 13 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 33, and wherein the antibody inhibits the interaction of SCF248 with c-Kit. In a further embodiment, the epitope comprises SEQ ID NO: 33 or SEQ ID NO: 36. In yet another embodiment, the epitope consists of SEQ ID NO: 33 or SEQ ID NO: 36.

[0014] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides compositions and methods for inhibiting the interaction between SCF248 and c-Kit. C-kit is expressed on immune cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and some structural cells. The C-kit ligand, SCF248, can be upregulated in myofibroblasts, activated epithelium, endothelium, macrophages, eosinophils, mast cells, monocytes, and the like. In some embodiments, the compositions and methods specifically inhibit the interaction between SCF248 and c-Kit. For example, in some embodiments, the compositions and methods specifically inhibit the interaction between SCF248 on myofibroblasts and c-Kit on immune cells. As another example, in some embodiments, the compositions and methods provided herein specifically inhibit the interaction between SCF248 on myofibroblasts, activated epithelium, endothelium, macrophages, eosinophils, mast cells, and / or monocytes and c-Kit on immune cells and / or structural cells. In some embodiments, the method comprises contacting SCF248 on myofibroblasts with an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In some embodiments, the antibodies or fragments thereof provided herein block the binding of SCF248 to c-Kit. In some embodiments, the blockage is mediated by steric hindrance. In some embodiments, the antibodies or fragments thereof provided herein internalize SCF248.

[0015] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for inhibiting inflammation in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the subject an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for inhibiting an inflammatory disease in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the subject an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In further embodiments, the inflammatory disease is a chronic inflammatory disease. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for treating inflammation and / or a chronic inflammatory disease in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the subject an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein.

[0016] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods for inhibiting fibrosis in a subject in need of such inhibition, comprising administering to the subject an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods for treating a fibrotic disease in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the subject an antibody or fragment thereof provided herein. In embodiments, the method further comprises administering one or more additional therapies and / or therapeutic agents.

[0017] In some embodiments, the inflammatory or fibrotic kidney disease is selected from the group consisting of renal fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) of the kidney, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), glomerulonephritis, chronic renal allograft rejection, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, and nephropathy (e.g., IgA nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, hypertensive nephropathy, or diabetic nephropathy). [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 provides a schematic representation of tissue injury / inflammatory disease processes. [Figure 2] 1 shows an exemplary mechanism of action of the anti-SCF248 antibody, 5H10, of the present disclosure. The 5H10 antibody is referred to as "OpSCF" in the figure. [Figure 3] Isoforms of SCF, SCF220, and SCF248 are shown, as well as the monomeric cleaved extracellular domain, SCF165, which is released upon cleavage of SCF248 at its cleavage site within the exon 6 region. [Figure 4A] A set of histograms showing binding of the mouse 5H10 antibody to control cells that do not express SCF (left panel), cells that express SCF220 but not SCF248 (center panel), and cells that express SCF248 but not SCF220 (right panel). [Figure 4B] Binding of the murine 5H10 antibody to a 165 amino acid truncated SCF extracellular domain (ECD) versus the intact 194 amino acid SCF ECD. [Figure 5] Shown is the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) measured by flow cytometry after contacting cultured human IPF myofibroblasts with pHrodo Red-labeled 2G8, 5H10, or control IgG antibodies. [Figure 6] 1 shows activation of the P13K / AKT and MEK / ERK pathways of c-kit signaling after contacting eosinophils with SCF248-expressing cells in the presence of 5H10 antibody or IgG control. The 5H10 antibody significantly reduced activation of both pathways. [Figure 7] Figure 1 shows binding of 5H10 humanized variants at different antibody concentrations to S1 / S14 hSCF248 cells by flow cytometry. In A, the VH shown is paired with VK3. In B, the 5H10 antibody shown is VH1 / VK3. [Figure 8A]This figure shows the change in CCL11 mRNA levels after preincubation of human IPF myofibroblasts (Mfb) with a positive control (irrelevant antibody) or the antibodies indicated below each bar in the figure. The mouse parent antibody is shown as "5H10" in the figure, and the humanized 5H10 antibodies VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK3, and VH5 / VK3 were also tested as indicated. The antibody concentrations tested were 1 μg / mL or 10 μg / mL. [Figure 8B] This figure shows the change in collagen 1A1 mRNA levels after preincubation of human IPF myofibroblasts (Mfb) with a positive control (irrelevant antibody) or the antibodies indicated below each bar in the figure. The mouse parent antibody is shown as "5H10" in the figure, and the humanized 5H10 antibodies VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK3, and VH5 / VK3 were also tested as indicated. The antibody concentrations tested were 1 μg / mL or 10 μg / mL. [Figure 8C] This figure shows the change in fibronectin mRNA levels after preincubation of human IPF myofibroblasts (Mfb) with a positive control (irrelevant antibody) or the antibodies indicated below each bar in the figure. The mouse parent antibody is shown as "5H10" in the figure, and the humanized 5H10 antibodies VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK3, and VH5 / VK3 were also tested as indicated. The antibody concentrations tested were 1 μg / mL or 10 μg / mL. [Figure 8D] Figure 1 shows the change in collagen 3 mRNA levels after preincubation of human IPF myofibroblasts (Mfb) with a positive control (irrelevant antibody) or the antibodies indicated below each bar in the figure. The mouse parent antibody is shown as "5H10" in the figure, and the humanized 5H10 antibodies VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK3, and VH5 / VK3 were also tested as indicated. The antibody concentrations tested were 1 μg / mL or 10 μg / mL. [Figure 9A] 1 shows the correlation between SCF248 mRNA and glomerular filtration rate in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). [Figure 9B] 1 shows the correlation between SCF248 mRNA and interstitial fibrosis in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). [Figure 9C] 1 shows the correlation between SCF248 mRNA and the percentage of mononuclear leukocytes in kidney biopsies in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). [Figure 10] We show that plasma levels of SCF165 (and its derivatives) are inversely correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with chronic kidney disease. [Figure 11] We show that plasma levels of SCF165 (and its derivatives) are inversely correlated with the urinary albumin / creatinine ratio (UACR) in patients with chronic kidney disease. [Figure 12] 1 shows immunohistochemical staining of SCF248 in the tubular and mesangial regions of a human glomerulonephritis kidney biopsy. A shows staining with control IgG, and B and C show strongly positive staining of SCF348 in the tubular interstitium. [Figure 13] Immunohistochemical staining of mast cell tryptase in healthy kidneys (A) and kidneys of patients with diabetic nephropathy and IgA nephropathy (B and C, respectively) is shown. [Figure 14A] The effect of mouse 5H10 (referred to in the figure as OpSCF) treatment on survival (A) and kidney weight (B) in a TGFβ mouse model of CKD is shown. [Figure 14B] The effect of mouse 5H10 (referred to in the figure as OpSCF) treatment on survival (A) and kidney weight (B) in a TGFβ mouse model of CKD is shown. [Figure 14C] The effect of mouse 5H10 (referred to in the figure as OpSCF) treatment on survival (A) and kidney weight (B) in a TGFβ mouse model of CKD is shown. [Figure 15](Figure 15A) Shows the effect of mouse 5H10 treatment on glomerular volume kidney weight in a TGFβ mouse model of CKD. (Figure 15B) Shows the effect of mouse 5H10 treatment on mesangial volume kidney weight in a TGFβ mouse model of CKD. (Figure 15C) Shows the effect of mouse 5H10 treatment on podocyte density kidney weight in a TGFβ mouse model of CKD. [Figure 16] RNA sequencing shows statistically significant reductions in several fibrous matrix proteins: A: collagen type 3 α1 chain, B: collagen type 6 α3 chain, C: collagen type XV α1 chain, D: fibronectin type III domain-containing 1, E: fibulin 1, F: microfibril-associated protein 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Stem cell factor (SCF) is a key mediator of acute and chronic inflammation, fibrotic diseases, and tissue remodeling disorders. The interaction of SCF with c-Kit on immune cells initiates and perpetuates inflammation and fibrosis. The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for treating inflammatory and fibrotic renal diseases by inhibiting the interaction of SCF with c-Kit. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides methods for treating fibrotic renal diseases, such as chronic nephritic disease and chronic kidney disease. The methods include administering to a patient suffering from inflammatory and / or fibrotic renal disease an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to SCF. In embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein specifically bind to SCF248 but not SCF220. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides particularly effective methods for inhibiting inflammation and fibrosis in renal diseases and disorders and for treating inflammatory and fibrotic renal diseases.

[0020] definition As used herein, the term "antibody" refers to a binding protein having at least one antigen-binding domain. The antibodies and fragments thereof of the present invention can be whole antibodies or any fragment thereof. Accordingly, the antibodies and fragments of the present invention include monoclonal antibodies or fragments thereof, antibody variants or fragments thereof, and immunoconjugates. Antigen-binding fragments include Fab fragments, Fab' fragments, F(ab')2 fragments, bispecific Fab dimers (Fab2), trispecific Fab trimers (Fab3), Fv, single-chain Fv proteins ("scFv"), bis-scFv, (scFv)2, minibodies, diabodies, triabodies, tetrabodies, disulfide-stabilized Fv proteins ("dsFv"), single-domain antibodies (sdAbs, nanobodies), heavy-chain-only antibodies (e.g., camelid VHHs, camelid nanobodies, shark Ig NARs), and the portion of a full-length antibody responsible for antigen binding. An isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof is one that has been identified and separated and / or recovered from a component of its natural environment.

[0021] In some embodiments, the antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof are isolated antibodies and fragments thereof, and thus the present invention provides isolated antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof, as well as nucleic acids encoding such antibodies and fragments, and compositions comprising such isolated antibodies, fragments, and nucleic acids. The term "isolated" refers to a compound of interest (e.g., an antibody or nucleic acid) that has been separated from its natural environment. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an isolated antibody or fragment thereof, or a nucleic acid encoding such an antibody or fragment, and further comprising one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include, for example, excipients, diluents, encapsulating materials, fillers, buffers, or other agents.

[0022] As used herein, the term "derived from," when used in reference to a molecule or polypeptide in comparison to a reference antibody or other binding protein, means a molecule or polypeptide that is specific for and capable of binding to the same epitope as the reference antibody or other binding protein.

[0023] As used herein, the phrase "specific for" may mean that the antibody does not bind to a target solely through non-specific interactions, which can be determined by comparison with an isotype control or the like. Specific binding can include, but does not necessarily require, exclusive binding to a single target. In embodiments, the antibodies provided herein specifically bind to SCF248 and do not bind to SCF220.

[0024] The term "host cell" refers to a cell that has been transformed with, or is capable of being transformed with, a nucleic acid sequence and thereby expresses a gene of interest. The term includes the progeny of a parent cell, whether or not the progeny is morphologically identical to the original parent cell or identical in genetic makeup to the original parent cell, so long as the gene of interest is present.

[0025] A "variant" of a polypeptide (e.g., an antigen-binding protein or antibody) comprises an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acid residues have been inserted, deleted, and / or substituted into the amino acid sequence compared to another polypeptide sequence. Variants include antibodies and fragments thereof having a recited percent identity to the antibodies or fragments provided herein or to the antibodies or fragments having the recited DNA or amino acid sequences.

[0026] The term "identity" refers to the relationship between the sequences of two or more polypeptide molecules or two or more nucleic acid molecules, as determined by aligning and comparing the sequences. "Percent identity," "percent homology," "sequence identity," or "sequence homology," etc., refer to the percent of identical residues between the amino acids or nucleotides in the compared molecules and are calculated based on the size of the smallest of the molecules being compared. For these calculations, gaps in the alignment, if any, are preferably handled by a specific mathematical model or computer program (i.e., an "algorithm"). Methods that can be used to calculate the identity of aligned nucleic acids or polypeptides include those described in Computational Molecular Biology, (Lesk, A.M., ed.), 1988, New York: Oxford University Press; Biocomputing Informatics and Genome Projects, (Smith, D.W., ed.), 1993, New York: Academic Press; Computer Analysis of Sequence Data, Part I, (Griffin, A.M., and Griffin, H.G., eds.), 1994, New Jersey: Humana Press; von Heinje, G., 1987, Sequence Analysis in Molecular Biology, New York: Academic Press; Sequence Analysis Primer, (Gribskov, M. and Devereux, J., eds.), 1991, New York: M. Stockton Press; and Carillo et al., 1988, SIAM J. Applied Math. 48:1073. In calculating percent identity, the compared sequences are typically aligned in a way that gives the largest match between the sequences.

[0027] The term "light chain" includes full-length light chains and fragments thereof having sufficient variable region sequence to confer binding specificity. A full-length light chain includes a variable region domain and a constant region domain. The variable region domain of a light chain is at the amino-terminus of the polypeptide. Light chains include kappa chains and lambda chains.

[0028] The term "heavy chain" includes full-length heavy chains and fragments thereof that contain sufficient variable region sequence to confer binding specificity. A full-length heavy chain contains a variable region domain, three constant region domains, a C H 1. C H 2, and C H 3. The variable heavy domain is at the amino terminus of the polypeptide and comprises C H The domain is at the carboxyl terminus, with CH3 being closest to the carboxy terminus of the polypeptide. The heavy chain can be of any isotype, including IgG (including IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 subtypes), IgA (including IgA1 and IgA2 subtypes), IgM, and IgE. The term "isotype" refers to the antibody class encoded by the heavy chain constant region gene. In some embodiments, the antibodies provided herein have an IgG4 heavy chain or an IgG4 heavy chain containing a specific amino acid mutation. For example, in some embodiments, the IgG4 contains a mutation at position 228 (EU numbering scheme, Kabat et al., Sequence of proteins of immunologic interest, 5th ed. Bethesda, MD, NIH 1991) to inhibit Fab arm exchange. For example, in some embodiments, the IgG4 heavy chain is an IgG4 S228P heavy chain. In some embodiments, the heavy chain contains one or more amino acid mutations that reduce binding to Fc receptors, thereby reducing or eliminating the effector function of the antibody. For example, the heavy chain may contain a mutation at one or more of positions 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 265, 309, 331, and 409 (EU numbering).

[0029] The term "variable region" or "variable domain" refers to a portion of an antibody's light and / or heavy chain, typically comprising approximately the amino-terminal 120-130 amino acids of the heavy chain and approximately the amino-terminal 100-110 amino acids of the light chain. In certain embodiments, the variable regions of different antibodies vary widely in amino acid sequence, even among antibodies of the same species. The variable region of an antibody typically determines the specificity of a particular antibody for its target. The term "target," as used herein, refers to a molecule or portion of a molecule capable of being bound by an antigen-binding protein. In certain embodiments, a target may have one or more epitopes. In certain embodiments, the target is an antigen. The use of "antigen" in the phrase "antigen-binding protein" simply indicates that a protein sequence comprising the antigen can be bound by an antibody. In this context, it is not required that the protein be foreign or capable of inducing an immune response.

[0030] The term "epitope" includes any determinant capable of binding by an antigen-binding protein, such as an antibody, or to a T-cell receptor. An epitope is a region of an antigen bound by an antigen-binding protein that targets that antigen, and, if the antigen is a protein, includes specific amino acids that directly contact the antigen-binding protein. More frequently, epitopes reside on proteins, but in some cases, they may reside on other types of molecules, such as nucleic acids. Epitopes may include chemically active surface arrangements of molecules, such as amino acids, sugar side chains, phosphoryl groups, or sulfonyl groups, and may have specific three-dimensional structural and / or charge characteristics. Generally, antibodies specific for a particular target antigen selectively recognize epitopes on the target antigen in a complex mixture of proteins and / or macromolecules. Antibody epitopes may be linear or conformational. In embodiments, the epitopes provided herein are linear epitopes.

[0031] The use of the singular includes the plural unless expressly stated otherwise. The word "a" or "an" means "at least one" unless expressly stated otherwise. The use of "or" means "and / or" unless expressly stated otherwise. The meaning of the phrase "at least one" is equivalent to the meaning of the phrase "one or more." Furthermore, the use of the term "including" and other forms such as "includes" and "included" is not limiting. Also, terms such as "element" or "component" encompass both elements and components containing one unit and elements and components containing more than one unit unless expressly stated otherwise. As used herein, the term "about" refers to an amount greater or less than the stated parameter value, for example, plus or minus 5 or 10% of the object it modifies, or as one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize from the context (e.g., about 50% of the interval between values). The term "about" also includes the referenced value.

[0032] stem cell factor In humans, there are at least two forms of SCF with different structures and activities. SCF220 functions in several homeostatic functions, including hematopoiesis and spermatogenesis, and is found in the bone marrow, testis, and other tissues and organs. SCF220 is slowly cleavable and is sometimes referred to as "membrane SCF." In contrast, SCF248 is rapidly cleavable and contains a cleavage site within exon 6 located between the N-terminal c-kit binding domain and the transmembrane domain. SCF248 can also be referred to as "soluble SCF." Exon 6 is excluded from SCF220 through alternative splicing, and therefore SCF220 lacks this cleavage site. The monomeric extracellular domain (SCF165) is a cleavage product and serves as a plasma biomarker for chronic inflammatory diseases. Although plasma may also contain detectable levels of SCF extracellular domain derived from SCF220, the majority of detectable extracellular domain is expected to be SCF165. SCF248 is an isoform found in myofibroblasts, activated epithelial cells, and other cells, which activates immune cells during inflammation and contributes to the persistence of fibrosis. More specifically, SCF248 binds to c-Kit on immune cells and initiates cytokine production that activates fibroblasts to become myofibroblasts, secreting extracellular matrix proteins, collagen, and fibronectin. Activated myofibroblasts, as well as activated epithelial, endothelial, macrophage, eosinophil, mast cell, monocyte, and other cells, also express SCF on their cell surface, activating more c-Kit+ immune cells, leading to further cytokine release and immune activation and fibrotic responses.

[0033] The antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof disclosed herein are specific for SCF. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof are specific for human SCF. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof are specific for SCF248. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to SCF248 and not to other isoforms of SCF. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to SCF248 and not to SCF220. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides methods for making antibodies or fragments thereof specific for SCF248. Exemplary antibodies and fragments specific for SCF248, as well as methods for making and using the antibodies and fragments, are provided in the disclosure. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein bind to SCF248 and block the interaction between SCF248 and c-Kit, thereby disrupting the positive feedback loop between SCF248 expressed on various cell types and cKit+ immune cells.

[0034] Antibodies and fragments The present disclosure provides antibodies, including monoclonal antibodies, and fragments thereof. Antibody fragments provided herein that are specific for SCF (e.g., SCF248) may be referred to herein as antigen-binding fragments, meaning that they contain a portion of the parent antibody that is capable of binding to a target antigen (SCF, e.g., SCF248). The terms "antibody fragment," "antigen-binding fragment," and the like are used interchangeably herein. Examples of antigen-binding fragments include Fab fragments, Fab' fragments, F(ab') fragments, Fv fragments, isolated CDR regions, bispecific Fab dimers (Fab2), trispecific Fab trimers (Fab3), single chain Fv proteins ("scFv"), bis-scFv, (scFv)2, minibodies, diabodies, triabodies, tetrabodies, disulfide stabilized Fv proteins ("dsFv"), single domain antibodies (sdAb, nanobodies), heavy chain only antibodies (e.g. camelid VHH, camelid nanobody, shark Ig NAR), and the portion of a full length antibody that is responsible for antigen binding.

[0035] A "Fab fragment" is a fragment containing one light chain and one heavy chain C H The heavy chain of a Fab molecule cannot form disulfide bonds with another heavy chain molecule. A "Fab' fragment" contains one light chain and the VH domain and C H A portion of one heavy chain containing a C domain, H 1 Domain and C H The "F(ab')2 fragment" comprises two heavy chains and a region between the two domains, such that an interchain disulfide bond can form between the two heavy chains of two Fab' fragments to form an F(ab')2 molecule. H 1 Domain and C H A F(ab')2 fragment contains two heavy chains containing a portion of the constant region between the two domains, resulting in the formation of an interchain disulfide bond between the two heavy chains. Thus, an F(ab')2 fragment consists of two Fab' fragments held together by disulfide bonds between the two heavy chains. An "Fv fragment" contains the variable regions from both the heavy and light chains but lacks the constant region. An "scFv" is an Fv molecule in which the heavy and light chain variable regions are connected by a flexible linker to form a single polypeptide chain that forms the antigen-binding region.

[0036] In some aspects, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein are defined by their complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). A CDR is a portion of the variable chain in an antibody, and each of the light and heavy chain variable regions contains three CDRs: CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3. The CDRs of an antibody determine antigen specificity. In certain embodiments, delineation of the CDRs and identification of the residues comprising the antibody binding site are achieved by solving the structure of the antibody and / or the structure of an antibody-ligand complex. In certain embodiments, this can be achieved by any of a variety of techniques known to those of skill in the art, such as X-ray crystallography. In certain embodiments, various analytical methods can be used to identify or estimate CDR regions. Examples of such methods include, but are not limited to, the Kabat definition, the Chothia definition, the AbM definition, and the contact definition.

[0037] The Kabat definition is a standard for numbering antibody residues and is typically used to identify CDR regions. See, e.g., Johnson & Wu, Nucleic Acids Res., 28:214-8 (2000). The Chothia definition is similar to the Kabat definition, but takes into account the location of certain structural loop regions. See, e.g., Chothia et al., J. Mol. Biol., 196:901-17 (1986); Chothia et al., Nature, 342:877-83 (1989). The AbM definition uses an integrated suite of computer programs developed by the Oxford Molecular Group to model antibody structure. See, e.g., Martin et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA), 86:9268-9272 (1989); "AbM™, A Computer Program for Modeling Variable Regions of Antibodies," Oxford, UK; Oxford Molecular, Ltd. The AbM definition uses a combination of knowledge databases and ab initio methods, such as those described in Samudrala et al., "Ab Initio Protein Structure Prediction Using a Combined Hierarchical Approach," in PROTEINS, Structure, Function and Genetics, Suppl. 3; 194-198, (1999), to model the tertiary structure of an antibody from its primary sequence. The contact definition is based on an analysis of feasible complex crystal structures. See, e.g., MacCallum et al., J. Mol. Biol., 5:732-45 (1996).

[0038] Antibodies and fragments thereof may also include recombinant polypeptides, fusion proteins, and bispecific antibodies. The anti-SCF antibodies and fragments thereof disclosed herein may be of the IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, or IgG4 isotype. In one embodiment, the anti-SCF antibodies and fragments thereof disclosed herein are of the IgG1 or IgG4 isotype. The anti-SCF antibodies and fragments thereof of the present invention may be derived from any species, including, but not limited to, mouse, rat, rabbit, primate, llama, camel, goat, shark, chicken, and human. The SCF antibodies and fragments thereof may be chimeric, humanized, or fully human. In one embodiment, the anti-SCF antibody is a murine antibody. In another embodiment, the anti-SCF antibody is a chimeric antibody. In a further embodiment, the chimeric antibody is a mouse-human chimeric antibody. In another embodiment, the antibody is derived from a mouse and humanized.

[0039] A "chimeric antibody" is an antibody having at least a portion of a heavy chain variable region and at least a portion of a light chain variable region from one species and at least a portion of a constant region from another species. For example, in one embodiment, a chimeric antibody can contain a murine variable region and a human constant region.

[0040] A "humanized antibody" is an antibody that contains complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) derived from a non-human antibody and framework and constant regions derived from a human antibody. For example, an anti-SCF antibody provided herein may contain CDRs derived from one or more murine antibodies and human framework and constant regions. Thus, in one embodiment, a humanized antibody provided herein binds to the same epitope of SCF as the murine antibody from which the antibody's CDRs are derived.

[0041] In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein comprise a heavy chain and a light chain, each of which comprises three CDRs. The amino acid sequences of exemplary heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 (HCDR1, HCDR2, and HCDR3, respectively) and light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 (LCDR1, LCDR2, and LCDR3, respectively) are provided in Table 1 below. Table 1 also provides exemplary amino acid sequences of heavy and light chain variable regions. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies referred to herein as "5H10" and "2G8." The heavy chain variable regions of humanized 5H10 or 2G8 are referred to herein as VH1, VH2, VH3, VH4, and VH5. 5H10 VH0 is the variable heavy chain of the murine parent antibody generated via the methods described herein. VH1, VH2, VH3, VH4, and VH5 are humanized heavy chain variable regions derived from 5H10 VH0 or 2G8 VH0, respectively. The 5H10 antibody contains a kappa light chain. The murine parent antibody variable light chain is referred to herein as 5H10 VK0. VK1, VK2, VK3, and VK4 are humanized light chain variable regions derived from VK0. The 2G8 antibody contains a lambda light chain. The murine parent antibody variable light chain is referred to herein as 2G8 VL0. VL1, VL2, VL3, and VL4 are humanized light chain variable regions derived from VL0. [Table 1-1] [Table 1-2]

[0042] One of skill in the art will appreciate that the variable heavy and variable light chains can be independently selected from the antibodies provided herein or can be mixed and matched. Thus, in some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein include any of the following: VH0 / VK0, VH0 / VK1, VH0 / VK2, VH0 / VK3, VH0 / VK4, VH1 / VK0, VH1 / VK1, VH1 / VK2, VH1 / VK3, VH1 / VK4, VH2 / VK0, VH2 / VK1, VH2 / VK2, VH2 / VK3, VH2 VH4 / VK4, VH3 / VK0, VH3 / VK1, VH3 / VK2, VH3 / VK3, VH3 / VK4, VH4 / VK0, VH4 / VK1, VH4 / VK2, VH4 / VK3, VH4 / VK4, VH5 / VK0, VH5 / VK1, VH5 / VK2, VH5 / VK3, and VH5 / VK4.

[0043] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides antibodies or fragments comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7-12. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides antibodies or fragments thereof comprising a heavy chain variable region set forth in a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7-12. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides antibodies or fragments comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 7-11, wherein the antibody or fragment comprises heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies or fragments comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, wherein the antibody or fragment comprises heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1, 37, and 3, respectively.

[0044] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides antibodies or fragments comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 13-17. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides antibodies or fragments thereof comprising a light chain variable region set forth in a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 13-17. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides antibodies or fragments comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 13-17, wherein the antibody or fragment comprises a light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, and 6, respectively.

[0045] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:17, ...8 and SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:10 and SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:10 and SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:10 and SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:10 and SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:10 and SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:11 and SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:11 and SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:11 and SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:11 and SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:11 and SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:16, or SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:17.

[0046] In certain embodiments, antibodies and fragments thereof comprise a heavy and light chain combination selected from the group consisting of VH1 / VK1, VH1 / VK2, VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK1, VH2 / VK2, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK1, VH3 / VK2, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK1, VH4 / VK2, VH4 / VK3, VH5 / VK1, VH5 / VK2, and VH5 / VK3. In some embodiments, the antibody comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 or SEQ ID NO:9, and an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 8 or SEQ ID NO: 9, and an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 16, and the antibody or fragment comprises heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, and 6, respectively. In some embodiments, the antibody or fragment thereof comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 or SEQ ID NO:9 and an amino acid sequence having at least 95% or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:16, wherein the antibody or fragment comprises heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs:1, 2, and 3, respectively, and light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 identical to SEQ ID NOs:4, 5, and 6, respectively. The antibody or fragment thereof can specifically bind to SCF248 but cannot bind to SCF220. In some embodiments, the antibody comprises a heavy chain variable region set forth in SEQ ID NO:8 and a light chain variable region set forth in SEQ ID NO:16. In some embodiments, the antibody comprises a heavy chain variable region set forth in SEQ ID NO:9 and a light chain variable region set forth in SEQ ID NO:16.

[0047] In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments provided herein comprise a heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12, or a variant thereof, and / or a light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17, or a variant thereof. Variants may contain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 amino acid substitutions or deletions, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the amino acid substitutions are conservative substitutions. Anti-SCF antibodies disclosed herein having one or more amino acid substitutions, insertions, deletions, or a combination thereof in the CDRs or variable light or heavy chain regions retain the biological activity of a corresponding anti-SCF antibody without the amino acid substitutions, insertions, or deletions compared to the sequences provided herein. Thus, the variant anti-SCF antibodies provided herein retain specific binding to SCF248. The terms percent homology, sequence identity, sequence homology, etc. are used interchangeably herein and refer to the number of identical amino acid positions shared by two reference sequences divided by the total number of amino acid positions multiplied by 100.

[0048] In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies that bind to the same epitope as any one of the exemplary antibodies disclosed herein. Thus, in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies that compete with the exemplary antibodies provided herein for binding to SCF. For example, in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies that specifically bind to a region of the amino acid sequence provided herein as SEQ ID NO:29. In some embodiments, the antibodies provided herein specifically bind to an epitope comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:33 (ASSLRNDSSSSNRK) or SEQ ID NO:36 (ASSLRNDSSSSNR). In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies that specifically bind to an epitope consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:33 or SEQ ID NO:36. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies that specifically bind to an epitope comprising at least 5, at least 6, at least 7, at least 8, at least 9, or at least 10 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:33.

[0049] In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein comprise HCDR1, HCDR2, HCDR3, LCDR1, LCDR2, and / or LCDR3 of the heavy and light chain variable regions provided herein, or variants thereof. Thus, in some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein include antibodies in which the HCDR is the HCDR of SEQ ID NO: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 and / or the LCDR is the LCDR of SEQ ID NO: 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17. For example, in some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof comprise amino acids 31-35, 50-65, and 95-102 of any one of the heavy chain variable regions provided herein, as defined by the Kabat numbering scheme. In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof comprise amino acids 24-34, 50-56, and 89-97 of any one of the light chain variable regions provided herein, as defined by the Kabat numbering scheme.

[0050] Exemplary humanized antibodies are provided herein. Additional anti-SCF antibodies comprising the heavy and light chain CDRs provided herein, or variants thereof, can be generated using any human framework sequences and are also encompassed by the present invention. In one embodiment, framework sequences suitable for use in the present invention include framework sequences that are structurally similar to the framework sequences provided herein. Further modifications in the framework regions can be made to improve the properties of the antibodies provided herein. Such further framework modifications can include chemical modifications, point mutations to reduce immunogenicity or remove T-cell epitopes, or backmutations to residues within the original germline sequence.

[0051] In some embodiments, such framework modifications include those corresponding to the mutations exemplified herein, including backmutations to germline sequences. For example, in one embodiment, one or more amino acids in the human framework regions of the VH and / or VL of a humanized antibody provided herein are backmutated to the corresponding amino acid in the parent murine antibody. The present invention also encompasses humanized antibodies that bind to SCF (e.g., SCF248) and include framework modifications corresponding to the exemplary modifications described herein for any suitable framework sequence, as well as other framework modifications that otherwise improve antibody properties. In other embodiments, the antibodies provided herein include one or more mutations to improve stability, improve solubility, alter glycosylation, and / or reduce immunogenicity, such as by reducing deamidation or oxidation, reducing isomerization, optimizing hydrophobic core and / or charge cluster residues, removing hydrophobic surface residues, optimizing residues involved in the interface between the variable heavy and variable light chains, and / or making targeted amino acid changes that modify the isoelectric point.

[0052] The anti-SCF antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein may further comprise Fc region modifications to alter effector function. Fc modifications may be amino acid insertions, deletions, or substitutions, or may be chemical modifications. For example, Fc region modifications may be made to increase or decrease complement fixation, increase or decrease antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, or increase or decrease the half-life of the antibody. Some Fc modifications increase or decrease the affinity of the antibody for Fcγ receptors, such as FcγRI, FcγRII, FcγRIII, or FcRn. Various Fc modifications have been described in the art, for example, in Shields et al., J Biol. Chem 276;6591 (2001), Tai et al. Blood 119;2074 (2012), Spiekermann et al. J Exp. Med 196;303 (2002), Moore et al. mAbs 2:2;181 (2010), Medzihradsky Methods in Molecular Biology 446;293 (2008), Mannan et al. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 35;86 (2007), and Idusogie et al. J Immunol 164;4178 (2000). In some embodiments, the Fc region glycosylation pattern is altered. In other embodiments, the Fc region is modified by pegylation (e.g., by reacting the antibody or fragment thereof with polyethylene glycol (PEG)). Exemplary Fc modifications include modifications at one or more amino acid positions selected from the group consisting of 228, 233, 234, 235, 236, 241, 248, 265, 297, 309, 331, and 409 (Kabat numbering; Kabat et al. al., Sequences of Immunological Interest, Fifth Edition, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md. (1991). In embodiments, the antibody has a modification to reduce or abolish effector function. In embodiments, the antibody is an IgG1 antibody with one or more Fc modifications selected from the group consisting of E233P, L234V, L234A, L235V, L235A, G236 (deletion), D265A, D270A, N297A, and N297Q. In embodiments, the antibody is an IgG4 antibody with one or more Fc modifications selected from the group consisting of S228P, E233P, F234A, F234V, L235A, L235V, S241P, L248E, D265A, D265T, L309L, and R409K. In embodiments, the anti-SCF antibodies provided herein comprise an S241P mutation and an L248E mutation.

[0053] In embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies provided herein comprising human IgG4 constant regions set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 40 and 41. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies comprising at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, or about 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NOs: 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 40 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 41. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 42, 43, 44, 45, or 46 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 47, 48, 49, or 50. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 42 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides antibodies comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 43 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides an antibody comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 44 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides an antibody comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 45 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides an antibody comprising a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 46 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49.

[0054] In some embodiments, the antibodies provided herein are specific for SCF248 and do not bind to SCF220. Thus, the antibodies provided herein are capable of specifically inhibiting the interaction between SCF248 and c-Kit, which induces and perpetuates chronic inflammatory responses and fibrosis in inflammatory and fibrotic kidney diseases. Furthermore, the antibodies provided herein are capable of specifically inducing internalization of SCF, thereby reducing the interaction between SCF248 and c-Kit. Thus, in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods for treating inflammatory and fibrotic kidney diseases, comprising administering to a patient in need of treatment an antibody that is specific for SCF248 and is safe and effective in various inflammatory and fibrotic kidney diseases discussed herein and known in the art.

[0055] For preparation of monoclonal antibodies, any technique which provides for the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines in culture can be used (e.g., Harlow and Lane, *Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual*, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY). These include, but are not limited to, the hybridoma technique originally developed by Kohler and Milstein, the trioma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique (see, e.g., Kozbor et al., *Immunol. Today*, 4:72 (1983)), and the EBV-hybridoma technique for producing human monoclonal antibodies (Cole et al., *Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy*, *Alan R. Liss, Inc.*, pp. 77-96 (1985)). Alternatively, antibodies can be made by recombinant DNA methods. In some embodiments, antibodies according to the present disclosure can be made by isolating monoclonal antibodies from a phage display library using, for example, the techniques described in Clackson et al., Nature 352:624-28 (1991) and Marks et al., J. Mol. Biol. 222(3):581-97 (1991). In some embodiments, the antibodies are fully human antibodies constructed by combining Fv clone variable domain sequence(s) selected from a human-derived phage display or yeast display library with known human constant domain sequence(s).

[0056] In some embodiments provided herein, antibodies are prepared from hybridomas. Using the hybridoma method, mice, hamsters, or other suitable host animals are immunized by injecting an immunizing peptide to induce lymphocyte production of antibodies that specifically bind to the immunizing antigen. Alternatively, lymphocytes can be immunized in vitro. After immunization, lymphocytes are isolated and fused with a suitable myeloma cell line, for example, using polyethylene glycol, to form hybridoma cells that can then be selected away from unfused lymphocytes and myeloma cells. Hybridomas that produce monoclonal antibodies specifically directed against the selected antigen, as determined by immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, or an in vitro binding assay such as radioimmunoassay (RIA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), can then be propagated in vitro (e.g., in culture) or as ascites tumors in animals using standard methods (Goding, Monoclonal Antibodies: Principles and Practice, Academic Press, 1986). The monoclonal antibodies can then be purified from the culture medium or ascites fluid as described for polyclonal antibodies above.

[0057] In some embodiments, the antibodies provided herein are produced using a mouse hybridoma system. Hybridoma production in mice is an established procedure. Immunization protocols and techniques for isolation of immunized splenocytes for fusion are known in the art. Fusion partners (e.g., mouse myeloma cells) and fusion procedures are also known. Embodiments of the technology herein provide antibodies (e.g., monoclonal antibodies) produced from hybridomas prepared by immunizing mice with peptides that are portions or fragments of the SCF protein.

[0058] In some embodiments, antibodies specific for SCF248 provided herein are generated by immunizing mice with a peptide having an amino acid sequence that is predominantly or exclusively within exon 6. For example, the immunizing peptide includes any stretch of five or more amino acids within SEQ ID NO: 34. As another example, the immunizing peptide includes any stretch of five or more amino acids beginning at amino acid position 20 of SEQ ID NO: 29. As another example, the immunizing peptide includes a stretch of five or more amino acids beginning at amino acid position 20 of SEQ ID NO: 29 and ending at any one of positions 25-38 of SEQ ID NO: 29. Thus, in some embodiments, the immunizing peptide includes the amino acid sequence of exon 6 after the cleavage site, is contained entirely within exon 6, or includes only 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 amino acids of exon 7. In some embodiments, the immunizing peptide comprises or consists of SEQ ID NO: 30. In some embodiments, the immunizing peptide includes any of the peptides provided herein or conservative variants thereof. Conservative variants may include 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 amino acid substitutions or deletions, or a combination thereof. As provided above, in some embodiments, antibodies generated using the immunization peptides provided herein have an epitope that is contained entirely or predominantly within exon 6. "Predominantly within" means that at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% of the peptide is contained within exon 6. In some embodiments, the epitope begins at the cleavage site of exon 6 (i.e., between the alanines at amino acid positions 19 and 20 of SEQ ID NO:29) and extends to the end of exon 6. In some embodiments, the epitope begins at the cleavage site of exon 6 and extends to the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth n-terminal amino acid of the transmembrane domain. In some embodiments, the epitope comprises or consists of SEQ ID NO:33. In some embodiments, the antibody designated herein as 5H10 (including murine, chimeric, and humanized 5H10 antibodies) binds to an epitope of SCF comprising or consisting of SEQ ID NO:33.

[0059] In some embodiments, the methods provided herein were used to generate the antibody designated herein as 5H10. In some embodiments, the antibody "5H10" is also designated herein as "OpSCF." Antibody 5H10 advantageously binds to SCF248 with high specificity and does not bind to SCF220. The amino acid sequence of the murine parent antibody 5H10, as well as its humanized variants, is provided herein (see Table 1).

[0060] In one embodiment, the invention provides methods of using bispecific or multispecific antibodies specific for SCF and at least one other antigen or epitope. The anti-SCF antibodies and fragments thereof provided herein can be tested for binding to SCF using the binding assays provided herein or any other binding assay known in the art.

[0061] Unless otherwise stated, the practice of the present invention is well known in the art and can be found in, for example, Methods in Molecular Biology, Humana Press, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, second edition (Sambrook et al., 1989), Current Protocols in Immunology (JE Coligane et al., eds., 1991), Immunobiology (C.A. Janeway and P. Travers, 1997), Antibodies (P. Finch, 1997), Antibodies: a practical approach (D. Catty., ed., IRL Press, 1988-1989), Monoclonal antibodies: a practical approach (P. Shepherd and C. Dean, eds., Oxford University Press, 2000), Phage display: a laboratory manual (C. Barbas III et al., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2001), and Using antibodies: a laboratory manual (E. Harlow and Conventional molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, and immunology techniques are used as described in D. Lane (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1999).

[0062] Treatment methods As used herein, the term "treatment" or "treating" refers to both therapeutic treatment and prophylactic or preventative measures. Subjects in need of treatment include those already suffering from a disease or condition as well as those who may develop a disease or condition, in which the disease or condition is prevented, delayed, or reduced. As used herein, the term "subject" refers to mammals such as rodents, cats, dogs, and primates. Preferably, subjects according to the present invention are humans. As used herein, the term "therapeutically effective amount" refers to the amount of a compound or composition required to provide a therapeutic and / or prophylactic benefit to a subject.

[0063] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for treating a subject with an inflammatory and / or fibrotic kidney disease. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an antibody for use as a medicament useful for treating a kidney disease, such as an inflammatory and / or fibrotic kidney disease. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an antibody for use in a method for treating a kidney disease, such as an inflammatory and / or fibrotic kidney disease. In some embodiments, the inflammatory kidney disease is a chronic inflammatory kidney disease. Exemplary inflammatory and / or fibrotic kidney diseases include, for example, renal fibrosis, cirrhosis, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) of the kidney, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), Goodpasture's syndrome, glomerulonephritis, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), chronic renal allograft rejection, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, and nephropathy (e.g., IgA nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, crescentic glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, hypertensive nephropathy, or diabetic nephropathy).

[0064] In some embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof disclosed herein may be administered to a subject by at least one route selected from parenteral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intra-articular, intrabronchial, intraperitoneal, intracapsular, intrachondral, intracavity, intracelial, intracerebellar, intraventricular, intracolonic, intracervical, intragastric, intrahepatic, intramyocardial, intraosteal, intrapelvic, intrapericardial, intraperitoneal, intrapleural, intraprostatic, intrapulmonary, intrarectal, intrarenal, intraretinal, intraspinal, intrasynovial, intrathoracic, intratympanic, intrauterine, intravesical, intravitreal, bolus, subconjunctival, oral, vaginal, rectal, buccal, sublingual, intranasal, intratumor, and transdermal.

[0065] In embodiments, the antibodies and fragments thereof disclosed herein may be administered to a subject in need thereof in combination with one or more additional therapies, which may be treatments such as surgery or dialysis, or may be therapeutic agents such as drugs designed to alleviate or reduce the symptoms of diseases or disorders associated with renal fibrosis and / or inflammation.

[0066] The present invention is further illustrated by reference to the following examples, however, it should be noted that these examples, like the above embodiments, are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way. [Example]

[0067] The following examples are given for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments of the present disclosure and are not meant to limit the disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will recognize modifications of these examples and other uses that are encompassed within the spirit of the disclosure, as defined by the scope of the claims.

[0068] An overview of the tissue damage / disease process is summarized in Figure 1. The disease process initiates inflammation. c-Kit+ immune cells produce cytokines and convert fibroblasts into activated myofibroblasts that express SCF248 on their surface. Expression of SCF248 on the surface of myofibroblasts and other cells activates more immune cells, leading to cytokine release of IL-4, IL-9, IL-13, IL-25, TGFβ, and other cytokines, perpetuating inflammation. Myofibroblasts secrete extracellular matrix proteins, collagen, and fibronectin, causing fibrotic diseases such as chronic kidney disease. An exemplary mechanism of action of an antibody of the present disclosure targeting SCF248 (the antibody is referred to herein as OpSCF and / or 5H10) in glomerulonephritis (GN), an exemplary kidney disease, is summarized in Figure 2.

[0069] As provided above, SCF has two isoforms resulting from alternative splicing: SCF248 and SCF220. SCF248 and SCF220 differ by exon 6. SCF220 is associated with homeostatic functions, while SCF248 is associated with inflammation and fibrosis. SCF248 activates immune cells during inflammation and is sometimes referred to as "soluble SCF." SCF248 is expressed in various cell types, including myofibroblasts, activated epithelium, endothelium, macrophages, eosinophils, mast cells, and monocytes (FIG. 3). The SCF248 isoform results in the cleavage of a monomeric cleaved extracellular domain called SCF165. The amino acid sequence of exon 6 is provided herein as SEQ ID NO: 34.

[0070] Example 1: Generation of anti-SCF mAb using hybridoma technology A peptide containing ASSLRNDSSSSNRKAKNPPGD (SEQ ID NO: 30) was used to generate antibodies that bind to SCF248. The immunization peptide included a portion of exon 6, i.e., the SCF248 isoform of stem cell factor. In particular, the immunization peptide included a portion of exon 6 starting after the cleavage site defined herein. Mice were immunized with the peptide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 30 using standard protocols. Determination of high-titer serum antibodies indicated appropriate immunization and fusion hybridomas. Culture supernatants were analyzed for SCF-specific antibodies from individual clones and selected based on specificity. Hybridomas producing specific monoclonal antibodies against the peptide were expanded, and the monoclonal with the highest titer was then tested in biologically relevant cultures. Antibody 5H10 was highly specific for SCF248 and had no cross-reactivity with SCF220. Other monoclonal antibodies produced by hybridomas did not have high specificity for SCF248 without cross-reactivity with SCF220. Therefore, 5H10 was selected for further characterization, development, and chimerization, and subsequent humanization.

[0071] Example 2. Binding of 5H10 to the complete extracellular domain of SCF248 The murine 5H10 antibody, obtained as described in Example 1, was directly conjugated with a fluorescent marker, and the labeled antibody was incubated with S1 / S14 hSCF248 cells expressing SCF248, S1 / S14 hSCF220 cells expressing SCF220, or control cells not expressing SCF. Binding of the labeled antibody to the cells was assessed by flow cytometry. The specificity of 5H10 for SCF248 and the lack of cross-reactivity with SCF220 are shown in Figure 4A.

[0072] The binding of the murine 5H10 antibody to a truncated extracellular domain (ECD) containing only amino acids 1-165 of SCF, versus the complete ECD containing amino acids 1-194 of SCF, was assessed by ELISA. The antibody bound to the complete SCF ECD but not to the truncated SCF ECD (Figure 4B). This demonstrated that the antibody is specific for the complete extracellular domain and does not bind to the monomeric truncated ECD circulating in the blood.

[0073] To evaluate the ability of the 2G8 and 5H10 antibodies to internalize SCF248 on myofibroblasts, the antibodies were labeled with pHrodo Red, which is colorless at neutral pH and fluoresces red at low pH within endosomes. The labeled antibodies were incubated with cultured human IPF myofibroblasts for 45 minutes, and red fluorescence was visualized by microscopy. As shown in Figure 5, the dye-labeled antibodies, but not the control IgG, were rapidly internalized. 5H10 was internalized more rapidly, resulting in higher fluorescence compared to 2G8.

[0074] SCF induces c-kit to signal via two distinct pathways: the MEK / ERK pathway and the P13K / AKT pathway. Studies were conducted to determine whether the murine 5H10 antibody inhibits intracellular signaling in c-kit-positive cells via either or both of these pathways. Eosinophils were incubated with SCF248-expressing cell lines in the presence of either 5H10 or an IgG control, and phospho-protein expression was measured using a BioRad Bio-Plex assay system. 5H10 significantly reduced phospho-MEK and phospho-AKT levels, indicating that the antibody significantly reduced c-kit-mediated intracellular signaling (Figure 6).

[0075] Taken together, these studies demonstrate that antibody 5H10 specifically binds and internalizes SCF248 without cross-reacting with SCF220 isoforms or the truncated ECD. Furthermore, 5H10 significantly inhibits intracellular signaling pathways in c-kit+ cells that sustain inflammation.

[0076] Example 3. Humanized 5H10 Chimeric antibodies derived from 5H10 were produced by subcloning the heavy and light chain variable domains into a vector with a human IgG4 backbone. The chimeric antibodies were expressed and purified using standard protocols. 2G8 is a previously developed antibody that binds to SCF248 and SCF220 and contains a lambda light chain. The chimeric heavy and light chains of 2G8 are designated VH0 and VL0, respectively. 5H10, the SCF248-specific antibody provided herein, contains a kappa light chain. The chimeric heavy and light chains of 5H10 are designated VH0 and VK0, respectively.

[0077] The chimeric antibodies were humanized. Several humanized variants of each of the 2G8 and 5H10 variable heavy chains were generated, with the humanized heavy chains retaining the same complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) but retaining more "human-like" framework regions, designated herein as VH1, VH2, VH3, VH4, and VH5. Humanized kappa light chain variants of 5H10, designated herein as VK1, VK2, VK3, and VK4, were also generated. The humanized lambda light chains of 2G8 were designated VL1, VL2, VL3, and VL4. The chimeric and humanized light and heavy chain combinations tested for 2G8 and 5H10 are listed in Tables 2 and 3, respectively. As shown in Table 2, certain heavy and light chain combinations of the 5H10 antibody variants resulted in high binding to hSCF248. [Table 2] [Table 3]

[0078] Binding affinity was also assessed using BiaCore analysis. BiaCore data showed that the affinities of all humanized 5H10 antibodies with VK1, VK2, or VK3 light chains for the immobilized SCF248 peptide antigen were very similar to the binding affinity of the parental murine 5H10 using this assay. The humanized 5H10 antibody with the VK4 light chain did not bind to the peptide. [Table 4]

[0079] The 5H10 clones VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK3, and VH5 / VK3 were evaluated for binding to SCF248-expressing cell lines by flow cytometry. As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, VH1 / VK3 and VH2 / VK3 exhibited high binding, maximizing at 1 μg / mL. The negative control was secondary antibody alone. No binding was observed to the control SCF220-expressing cell line (not shown).

[0080] Example 4. In vitro inhibition of the interaction of SCF with c-kit The humanized 5H10 antibody was tested for its ability to inhibit the SCF-c-kit interaction and the inflammatory feed-forward loop in vitro. Cultured human IPF myofibroblasts (Mfb), which express surface SCF248, were overlaid with LAD2 mast cells, an SCF-responsive cell line. Without other intervention, Mfb stimulates LAD2 cells, which in turn stimulate Mfb to produce additional cytokines and extracellular matrix proteins. In this assay, the readout of inflammation and the feed-forward loop are mRNAs for CCL11, collagens 1 and 3, and fibronectin.

[0081] The murine 5H10 and humanized (VH1 / VK3, VH2 / VK3, VH3 / VK3, VH4 / VK3, and VH5 / VK3) 5H10 antibodies were preincubated with Mfb at concentrations of 1 μg / mL and 10 μg / mL to assess their ability to inhibit the feed-forward loop. These results are shown in Figures 8A-8D. The humanized VH1 / VK3 antibody consistently demonstrated inhibition of the SCF-c-kit interaction, even at low concentrations.

[0082] Example 5. Correlation of SCF248 in kidney biopsies with disease progression RNA sequencing was performed to quantify SCF248 mRNA in kidney biopsies from patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). As shown in Figure 9A, a significant inverse correlation between SCF248 mRNA and glomerular filtration rate was observed. As shown in Figure 9B, a positive correlation between SCF248 mRNA and the percentage of interstitial fibrosis was also observed. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9C, a positive correlation between SCF248 mRNA and the percentage of mononuclear leukocytes in kidney biopsies was identified. Taken together, these data suggest an association between SCF248 and markers of inflammation and progressive renal failure.

[0083] Furthermore, plasma levels of cleaved stem cell factor extracellular domain, SCF165, in subjects with chronic kidney disease were significantly inversely correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (Figure 10) and correlated with urinary albumin / creatinine ratio (UACR) in chronic kidney disease (Figure 11).

[0084] Example 6.5H10 effectively treats disease in a chronic kidney disease model. SCF248 is expressed in areas of human renal fibrosis. Compared with samples stained with control IgG by immunohistochemistry (Figure 12A), samples stained with mouse 5H10 antibody were strongly positive for SCF248 in the tubular interstitium (Figures 12B and 12C). Furthermore, staining for mast cell tryptase demonstrated the presence of mast cells in the kidneys of patients with diabetic nephropathy and IgA nephropathy (Figures 13B and 13C), but not in the kidneys of healthy patients (Figure 13A).

[0085] A mouse model of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was used to investigate the effects of 5H10 on disease progression and survival. C57 / Black 6 TGFβ1 transgenic mice (TGFβ mice) overexpress TGFβ1 in the liver under the control of the albumin promoter, resulting in increased circulating TGFβ, which promotes tissue fibrosis. TGFβ mice experience progressive glomerular and mesangial expansion and decreased podocyte density. Progressive interstitial fibrosis leads to kidney weight loss and death.

[0086] TGFβ mice were administered either 5H10 or a control antibody at a dose of 20 mg / kg twice weekly for 4 weeks, starting at 2 weeks of age. The experiment was terminated due to death at week 6. Compared to mice treated with a control IgG antibody, mice treated with 5H10 had significantly improved survival (p=0.03) and reduced kidney weight loss (p=0.03) (Figures 14A and 14B). Kidneys were scored masked by an experienced renal pathologist, and kidneys in the 5H10-treated group had significantly less fibrosis (Figure 14C).

[0087] To evaluate kidney histology during disease progression, TGFβ mice were treated with 5H10 or a control antibody at 5 mg / kg twice weekly from 2 weeks of age and autopsied 2 weeks later during CKD disease progression. Compared with control IgG, glomerular and mesangial volumes were not significantly increased with 5H10 treatment, suggesting reduced tissue damage. In the early stages of CKD, glomerular and mesangial volumes increase with the influx of inflammatory cells and extracellular matrix. Podocyte density was maintained with 5H10 therapy, demonstrating less podocyte dropout and glomerular swelling (Figures 15A, 15B, and 15C). RNA sequencing showed statistically significant reductions in collagen type 3 alpha 1 chain (Figure 16A), collagen type 6 alpha 3 chain (Figure 16B), collagen type XV alpha 1 chain (Figure 16C), fibronectin type III domain containing 1 (Figure 16D), fibulin 1 (Figure 16E), and microfibril-associated protein 4 (Figure 16F) in animals treated with m5H10. Thus, administration of the 5H10 antibody in a chronic kidney disease model significantly reduced renal fibrosis and improved survival, demonstrating the antibody's usefulness as a treatment for kidney disease.

[0088] Publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are specifically incorporated by reference in their entirety. While the described invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, process, process step(s), to the objective spirit and scope of the described invention. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims. The present invention provides, for example, the following items. (Item 1) A method for treating inflammatory or fibrotic renal disease in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising administering to the subject an antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to stem cell factor (SCF), wherein the antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprising SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 according to SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, and 6, respectively. (Item 2) 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable region having at least 80% identity to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. (Item 3) 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable region having at least 90% identity to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. (Item 4) 4. The method of any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable region having at least 80% identity to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, 15, and 16. (Item 5) 5. The method of any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a light chain variable region having at least 90% identity to a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, 15, and 16. (Item 6) 6. The method according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, and a light chain variable region amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 13, 14, 15, and 16. (Item 7) 7. The method according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 and a light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16. (Item 8) 7. The method according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16. (Item 9) 7. The method according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16. (Item 10) 7. The method according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises a heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 10 and a light chain variable region amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16. (Item 11) 7. The method according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof comprises the heavy chain variable region amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 and the light chain variable region amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16. (Item 12) 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof is humanized. (Item 13) 13. The method according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. (Item 14) 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the antibody comprises a human IgG4 domain. (Item 15) 15. The method of item 14, wherein the IgG4 domain comprises an S241P mutation at amino acid residue 241 and an L248E mutation at amino acid residue 248, wherein the numbering of the residues is according to the Kabat numbering system. (Item 16) 16. The method according to any one of items 13 to 15, wherein the antibody comprises a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 42 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49. (Item 17) 16. The method according to any one of items 13 to 15, wherein the antibody comprises a heavy chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 43 and a light chain set forth in SEQ ID NO: 49. (Item 18) 18. The method of any one of items 1 to 17, wherein the antibody or fragment thereof specifically binds to SCF248. (Item 19) 19. The method of any one of items 1 to 18, wherein the antibody does not bind to SCF220. (Item 20) 20. The method according to any one of items 1 to 19, wherein the inflammatory or fibrotic kidney disease is selected from the group consisting of chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ERSD), renal fibrosis, glomerulonephritis, and nephropathy. (Item 21) 21. The method of item 20, wherein the nephropathy or glomerulonephritis is IgA nephropathy, diabetic nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, rapidly progressive glomerulonephropathy, crescentic glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, hypertensive nephropathy, or diabetic nephropathy.

Claims

[Claim 1] The invention described in the specification.

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