Monoclonal antibodies to human fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (hfgfr2) and methods of use thereof

A monoclonal antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof, wherein the monoclonal antibody consists of

• a heavy chain comprising a complementarity determining region H1 (CDRH1) consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
• 24, a CDRH2 consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
• 25, and a CDRH3 consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
• 26;
• and
• a light chain comprising a CDRL1 consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
• 27, a CDRL2 consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
• 28, and a CDRL3 consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:
• 29.

The monoclonal antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof which has the following properties (i) to (iii):

• (i) specifically binds to non-denatured human fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (hFGFR2) IIIc;
• (ii) specifically binds to none of the following:
• non-denatured human fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (hFGFR1);
• non-denatured human fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (hFGFR3);
• and non-denatured human fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (hFGFR4);
• and
• (iii) specifically binds to denatured hFGFR2 IIIc in a preparation fixed in formalin,
• wherein the monoclonal antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof binds to a site on hFGFR2 Mc which is recognized by an antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof according to claim 3 or competes with an antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof according to claim 3 for binding to hFGFR2 IIIc.