(19)
(11) EP 3 232 199 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
Note: Bibliography reflects the latest situation

(15) Correction information:
Corrected version no 1 (W1 A2)

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
13.12.2017 Bulletin 2017/50

(43) Date of publication:
18.10.2017 Bulletin 2017/42

(21) Application number: 17174222.4

(22) Date of filing: 17.08.2015
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G01N 33/574(2006.01)
G01N 33/569(2006.01)
G01N 33/564(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Validation States:
MA

(30) Priority: 19.08.2014 JP 2014166593
20.04.2015 JP 2015085556

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
15833898.8 / 3192517

(71) Applicants:
  • National University Corporation Okayama University
    Kita-ku Okayama-shi Okayama 700-8530 (JP)
  • ONO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Osaka-shi, Osaka 541-8526 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • UDONO, Heiichiro
    Okayama 700-8530 (JP)
  • EIKAWA, Shingo
    Okayama 700-8530 (JP)
  • TOYOOKA, Shin-ichi
    Okayama 700-8530 (JP)

(74) Representative: Hoffmann Eitle 
Patent- und Rechtsanwälte PartmbB Arabellastraße 30
81925 München
81925 München (DE)

 
Remarks:
THIS APPLICATION WAS FILED ON 02-06-2017 AS A DIVISIONAL APPLICATION TO THE APPLICATION MENTIONED UNDER INID CODE 62.
 


(54) METHOD FOR ENHANCING IMMUNE CELL FUNCTION AND METHOD FOR ASSESSING IMMUNE CELL MULTIFUNCTIONALITY


(57) The present invention provides a method for enhancing immune cell function by activating various immune cells ex vivo and provides immune cells with enhanced function. The invention further provides an immune-related cell multifunctionality evaluation method. A biguanide antidiabetic drug selected from metformin, phenformin, and buformin is capable of enhancing immune cell multifunctionality by increasing CD8+T cells having a high ability to produce IL-2, TNFα, and IFNγ. The immune-related cell multifunctionality may be evaluated by comparing immune cells treated with a biguanide antidiabetic drug selected from metformin, phenformin, and buformin, with control immune cells untreated with the biguanide antidiabetic drug. When the multifunctionality of immune cells treated with the biguanide antidiabetic drug selected from metformin, phenformin, and buformin is determined to be significantly increased compared with the control, it can be evaluated that the sensitivity of the immune cells to the therapeutic agent is improved.