Method for the selection of antibodies against bcma

An antibody specifically binding to human B cell maturation factor (BCMA), wherein said antibody comprises variable heavy and light domains VH and VL of an antibody specifically binding to BCMA wherein:

• a. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:37, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:47 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:57 and the variable domain VL comprises a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:67, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:77 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:87;
• b. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:38, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:48 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:58 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:68, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:78 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:88;
• c. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:40, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:50 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:60 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:70, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:80 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:90;
• d. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:41, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:51 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:61 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:71, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:81 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:91;
• e. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:42, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:52 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:62 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:72, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:82 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:92;
• f. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:43, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:53 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:63 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:73, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:83 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:93;
• g. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:54 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:64 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:74, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:94;
• h. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:45, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:55 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:65 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:75, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:85 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:95;
• or
• i. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:56 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:66 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:76, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:86 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:96.

A method of treating multiple myeloma comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an antibody that comprises variable heavy and light chains VH and VL of an antibody specifically binding to BCMA wherein:

• a. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:37, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:47 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:57 and the variable domain VL comprises a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:67, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:77 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:87;
• b. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:38, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:48 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:58 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:68, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:78 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:88;
• c. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:39, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:49 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:59 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:69, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:79 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:89;
• d. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:40, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:50 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:60 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:70, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:80 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:90;
• e. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:41, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:51 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:61 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:71, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:81 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:91;
• f. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:42, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:52 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:62 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:72, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:82 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:92;
• g. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:43, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:53 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:63 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:73, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:83 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:93;
• h. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:44, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:54 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:64 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:74, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:94;
• i. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:45, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:55 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:65 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:75, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:85 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:95;
• or
• j. the variable domain VH comprises a CDR1H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:46, a CDR2H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:56 and a CDR3H comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:66 and the variable domain VL comprises the amino acid sequence of a CDR1L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:76, a CDR2L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:86 and a CDR3L comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:96.