USE OF EphA4 AND MODULATOR OF EphA4 FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF CANCER

The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management, or prevention of cancer, particularly, metastatic cancer. In one embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that bind to EphA4 and agonize EphA4. In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that bind to EphA4 and inhibit cancer cell colony formation in soft agar or tubular network formation in three-dimensional basement membrane or extracellular matrix preparation. In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that preferentially binds to an EphA4 epitope that is exposed on cancer cells but not non-cancer cells. In another embodiment, the methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more antibodies that bind to EphA4 with a very low Koff to reduce EphA4 expression and, thereby, inhibit tumor cell growth and/or metastasis. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more EphA4 antibodies of the invention either alone or in combination with one or more other agents useful for cancer therapy.