METHODS FOR DIVERSIFYING ANTIBODIES, ANTIBODIES DERIVED THEREFROM AND USES THEREOF

The invention provides methods of introducing diversity into antibody molecules comprising introducing or substituting at least one amino acid sequence in the CDR of the target antibody together with at least one amino acid in the FW region spanning the 3 amino acid adjoining the CRD on each side. The resulting diverse antibodies with variant CDRs and FW region sequences comprising diverse amino acid sequences are also described. These polypeptides regions, herein referred to as 3+CDR3+, that form the gist of the invention contribution described herein provide a flexible and simple source of sequence diversity that can be used as a source for expressing and identifying diverse antibodies or antigen binding polypeptides. Libraries comprising a plurality of these polypeptides are also provided. In addition, methods of and compositions for generating and using these polypeptides and libraries are provided. A method of producing diverse antibodies comprising amino acid substitutions in one of the CDR region and the FW region comprising 3 contiguous FW sequence amino acids adjacent to each CDR on either side is described herein. The substitutions are relative to database or germline sequences. Not all substitution are preserved in conservative regions.