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EP 0 954 577 A2

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(43) Date of publication: 10.11.1999 Bulletin 1999/45 (21) Application number: 97921171.0 (22) Date of filing: 14.04.1997

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C12N 15/ 09( . ) A61K 48/ 00( . ) C07K 14/ 52( . ) C12N 15/ 12( . ) A61K 38/ 00( . ) C07K 14/ 47( . ) C12N 5/ 10( . ) C12P 21/ 02( . ) (86) International application number: PCT/US1997/006125 (87) International publication number: WO 1997/040151 (30.10.1997 Gazette 1997/46)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE (30) Priority: 19.04.1996 US 19960635311 10.01.1997 US 19970781226 (71) Applicant: GENETICS INSTITUTE, INC. Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140 (US)

(72) Inventors: JACOBS, Kenneth Newton, MA 02160 (US) MCCOY, John, M. Reading, MA 01867 (US) RACIE, Lisa, A. Acton, MA 01720 (US) LAVALLIE, Edward, R. Harvard, Massachusetts - 01451 (US) MERBERG, David Acton, MA 01720 (US) SPAULDING, Vikki Billerica, MA 01821 (US) (74) Representative: Frohwitter, Bernhard, Dipl.-Ing., et al  Patent- und Rechtsanwälte, Possartstrasse 20 81679 München 81679 München (DE)