Anti-cd38 human antibodies and uses therefor

A method for treating a hematological cancer associated with the undesired presence of CD38+ cells, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising:

• (A) an isolated human antibody that specifically binds an epitope of CD38 (SEQ ID NO:
• 22), wherein said antibody mediates killing of a CD38+ target cell by antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity with at least five-fold better efficacy than chimeric OKT10 antibody (SEQ ID NOS:
• 23 and 24) under the same or substantially the same conditions when a human PBMC cell is employed as the effector cell, wherein said CD38+ target cell is selected from the group consisting of LP-1 (DSMZ:
• ACC41) and RPMI-8226 (ATCC:
• CCL-155), and wherein the ratio of effector cells to target cells is between about 30:1 and about 50:1;
• and
• (B) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient therefor.

A method for treating a hematological cancer associated with the undesired presence of CD38+ cells, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising:

• (A) an isolated human antibody that specifically binds to an epitope of CD38 (SEQ ID NO:
• 22), wherein said antibody mediates killing of a CD38-transfected CHO cell by cell dependent cytotoxicity with at least two-fold better efficacy than chimeric OKT10 antibody (SEQ ID NOS:
• 23 and 24) under the same or substantially the same conditions;
• and
• (B) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient therefor.