924results about "Reverse transcribing DNA viruses" patented technology

A self-assembling nanoparticle drug delivery system for the delivery of various bioactive agents including peptides, proteins, nucleic acids or synthetic chemical drugs is provided. The self-assembling nanoparticle drug delivery system described herein includes viral capsid proteins, such as Hepatitis B Virus core protein, encapsulating the bioactive agent, a lipid layer or lipid/cholesterol layer coat and targeting or facilitating molecules anchored in the lipid layer. A method for construction of the self-assembling nanoparticle drug delivery system is also provided.

The present invention relates to peptides which exhibit antifusogenic and antiviral activities. The peptides of the invention consist of a 16 to 39 amino acid region of a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) protein. These regions were identified through computer algorithms capable of recognizing the ALLMOTI5, 107x178x4, or PLZIP amino acid motifs. These motifs are associated with the antifusogenic and antiviral activities of the claimed peptides.

The present invention relates generally to adjuvants, and in particular to methods and products utilizing a synergistic combination of immunostimulatory oligonucleotides having at least one unmethylated CpG dinucleotide (CpG ODN) and a non-nucleic acid adjuvant. Such combinations of adjuvants may be used with an antigen or alone. The present invention also relates to methods and products utilizing immunostimulatory oligonucleotides having at least one unmethylated CpG dinucleotide (CpG ODN) for induction of cellular immunity in infants.

An apparatus and method for transdermally delivering a vaccine comprising a delivery system having (i) a microprojection member (or system) that includes a plurality of microprojections (or array thereof) that are adapted to pierce through the stratum corneum into the underlying epidermis layer, or epidermis and dermis layers and (ii) an ultrasonic device. In one embodiment, the vaccine is contained in a biocompatible coating that is applied to the microprojection member. In a further embodiment, the delivery system includes a gel pack having a vaccine-containing hydrogel formulation that is disposed on the microprojection member after application to the skin of a patient. In an alternative embodiment, the vaccine is contained in both the coating and the hydrogel formulation.

The present invention provides compositions comprising a conjugate of a hapten with a carrier in an ordered and repetitive array, and methods of making such compositions. The conjugates and compositions of the invention may comprise a variety of haptens, including hormones, toxins and drugs, especially drugs of addiction such as nicotine. Compositions and conjugates of the invention are useful for inducing immune responses against haptens, which can use useful in a variety of therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic regimens. In certain embodiments, immune responses generated using the conjugates, compositions and methods of the present invention are useful to prevent or treat addiction to drugs of abuse and the resultant diseases associated with drug addiction.

Attenuated recombinant viruses containing DNA encoding an immunodeficiency virus and/or CTL antigen, as well as methods and compositions employing the viruses, expression products therefrom, and antibodies generated from the viruses or expression products, are disclosed and claimed. The recombinant viruses can be NYVAC or ALVAC recombinant viruses. The DNA can code for at least one of: HIV1gag(+pro)(IIIB), gp120(MN)(+transmembrane), nef(BRU)CTL, pol(IIIB)CTL, ELDKWA or LDKW epitopes, preferably HIV1gag(+pro)(IIIB), gp120(MN) (+transmembrane), two (2) nef(BRU)CTL and three (3) pol(IIIB)CTL etpitopes; or two ELDKWA in gp120 V3 or another region or in gp160. The two (2) nef(BRU)CTL and three (3) pol(IIIB)CTL epitopes are preferably CTL1, CTL2, pol1, pol2 and pol3. The recombinant viruses and gene products therefrom and antibodies generated by the viruses and gene products have several preventive, therapeutic and diagnostic uses. DNA from the recombinant viruses are useful as probes or, for generating PCR primers or for immunization. Also disclosed and claimed are HIV immunogens and modified gp160 and gp120.

A chimeric, carboxy-terminal truncated hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid (HBc) protein is disclosed that contains an immunogen for inducing the production of antibodies to the influenza M2 protein. An immunogenic influenza sequence in two to four copies is preferably expressed at or near the N-terminus or in the HBc immunogenic loop sequence. The HBc chimer preferably contains an influenza-specific T cell epitope and is preferably engineered for both enhanced stability of self-assembled particles and enhanced yield of those chimeric particles. Methods of making and using the chimers are also disclosed.

Vaccine compositions comprising (a) an oligonucleotide, (b) and immune stimulating complex and (c) an antigen induce a strong interferon-gamma immune response. Both oligonucleotides containing immune stimulatory motifs and oligonucleotides lacking immune stimulatory motifs contribute to an interferon-gamma response when administered with an immune stimulating complex.

The present invention related to fluoroalkoxy (“—OCF3”) nucleosides, nucleotides, and polynucleotides comprising fluoroalkoxy nucleotides. The present invention also relates to methods of synthesizing fluoroalkoxy nucleosides, nucleotides, and polynucleotides comprising fluoroalkoxy nucleotides. The present invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods for the study, diagnosis, and treatment of traits, diseases and conditions that respond to the modulation of gene expression and/or activity. The invention also relates to fluoroalkoxy modified nucleic acid molecules, such as ribozymes, antisense, aptamers, decoys, triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFO), immune stimulatory oligonucleotides (ISO), immune modulatory oligonucleotides (IMO), and small nucleic acid molecules, including short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules capable of mediating RNA interference (RNAi) against polynucloetide targets. Such small nucleic acid molecules are useful, for example, in providing compositions to treat, prevent, inhibit, or reduce diseases, traits, or conditions in a subject or organism.

The present invention relates to the display of antigenic or allergenic components along with a tissue-targeting component on viruses or virus-like particles. Capsid protein genes are recombinantly modified to contain the specified components then expressed within a host organism, such as yeasts, bacteria, or algae, and allowed to spontaneously form active virus particles or virus-like particles. The recombinant complexes (virus or virus-like particle) can then be purified or used in situ as a therapeutic tool for disease or allergy prevention. The expression of multivalent and multifunctional components to increase the immunogenicity of the recombinant complexes, especially on oral administration, is provided.

Provided herein are cells, vectors and viruses in association with a mutant polypeptide that has emerged in response to a therapeutic or prophylactic agent; compositions comprising such cells, vectors and viruses and methods for their use in eliciting an immune response to the mutant polypeptide. In some examples, the immune response is a cellular immune response.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for eliciting immune responses against antigens. In particular embodiments, the compounds and methods elicit immune responses against antigens that are otherwise recognized by the host as “self” antigens. The immune response is enhanced by presenting the host immune system with a chimeric antigen comprising an immune response domain and a target binding domain, wherein the target binding domain comprises a xenotypic antibody fragment. By virtue of the target binding domain, antigen presenting cells take up, process, and present the chimeric antigen, eliciting both a humoral and cellular immune response.

An aqueous composition having increased protein stability is obtained by: a. determining a pH at which the protein has stability at the desired temperature; b. adding to the composition at least one displacement buffer wherein the displacement buffer has a pKa that is at least 1 unit greater or less than the pH of step (a); and c. adjusting the pH of the composition to the pH of step (a); wherein the aqueous composition does not comprise a conventional buffer at a concentration greater than about 2 mM and wherein the conventional buffer has a pKa that is within 1 unit of the pH of step (a).

The present invention is related to the fields of vaccinology, immunology and medicine. The invention provides compositions and methods for enhancing immunological responses against antigens coupled or fused to virus-like particles (VLPs) packaged with immunostimulatory nucleic acids, preferably oligonucleotides containing at least one non-methylated CpG sequence and a toll-like receptor (TLR) ligand. The invention can be used to induce strong antibody and T cell responses particularly useful for the treatment of allergies, tumors and chronic viral diseases as well as other chronic diseases.

Fusion of the viral envelope, or infected cell membranes with uninfected cell membranes, is an essential step in the viral life cycle. Recent studies involving the human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) demonstrated that synthetic peptides (designated DP-107 and DP-178) derived from potential helical regions of the transmembrane (TM) protein, gp41, were potent inhibitors of viral fusion and infection. A computerized antiviral searching technology (C.A.S.T.) that detects related structural motifs (e.g., ALLMOTI 5, 107x178x4, and PLZIP) in other viral proteins was employed to identify similar regions in the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Several conserved heptad repeat domains that are predicted to form coiled-coil structures with antiviral activity were identified in the EBV genome. Synthetic peptides of 16 to 39 amino acids derived from these regions were prepared and their antiviral activities assessed in a suitable in vitro screening assay. These peptides proved to be potent inhibitors of EBV fusion. Based upon their structural and functional equivalence to the known HIV-1 inhibitors DP-107 and DP-178, these peptides should provide a novel approach to the development of targeted therapies for the treatment of EBV infections.

The present invention relates to an influenza antigen, comprising a fusion product of at least the extracellular part of a conserved influenza membrane protein or a functional fragment thereof and a presenting carrier, which may be a presenting (poly)peptide or a non-peptidic structure, such as glycans, peptide mimetics, synthetic polymers. The invention further relates to a vaccine against influenza, comprising at least an antigen of the invention, optionally in the presence of one or more excipients. The invention also relates to use of the antigen, a method for preparing the antigen and acceptor cells expressing the antigen.

The invention provides immunomodulatory compounds and methods for immunomodulation of individuals using the immunomodulatory compounds.