Appeal 2007-0320
Application 09/945,339
BACKGROUND
“The present invention relates to a method of transplanting
hematopoietic cells between genetically unrelated individuals using
mononuclear cells treated so as to substantially reduce their ability to cause
graft versus host disease while they retain their ability to proliferate in the
recipient and facilitate engraftment by hematopoietic cells” (Spec. 1).
According to the Specification, “the treated mononuclear cells can
condition the recipient to successfully accept the transplanted cells [ ]
without mounting an immune response against the recipient’s cells” and
“[t]he mononuclear cells can also exert a graft versus leukemia effect by
which they aid in the elimination of residual cancer cells in the recipient”
(Spec. 22: 25 to 23: 2). In a nutshell, the Specification teaches that the
ability of the treated mononuclear cells to proliferate in the recipient is
directly proportional to the cells’ ability to facilitate engraftment of
transplanted hemaotpoietic cells, but inversely proportional to the cells’
capacity to trigger GvHD (Spec. passim).
Claim 1 is representative of the subject matter on appeal:
1. A method of transplanting hematopoietic cells from a donor
source into a genetically unrelated recipient, comprising:
a) administering to the recipient, in combination with the
administration of the hematopoietic cells, an amount of mononuclear
cells which are treated so as to substantially reduce their ability to
cause graft versus host disease while they retain their ability to
proliferate in the recipient and facilitate engraftment of the
hematopoietic cells in the recipient; and
(b) administering to the recipient an effective amount of
hematopoietic cells.
2
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Last modified: September 9, 2013