Patent 8008446 was granted and assigned to University of Basel on August, 2011 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Disclosed are biological markers for obesity and methods for diagnosing and treating obesity and related conditions by detecting and modulating the activity of auto-antibodies against the melanocortin-4 receptor or a portion of the melanocortin-4 receptor. Also disclosed are methods for discovering new therapeutics which modulate the activity of auto-antibodies against the melanocortin-4 receptor or a portion of the melanocortin-4 receptor, in particular which prevent the binding of auto-antibodies against the melanocortin-4 receptor or a portion of the melanocortin-4 receptor.