Protein vaccines against poxviruses

Abstract

The invention described here entails a protein vaccine against poxviruses which contains at least two purified recombinant monkeypox virus proteins or peptides. The proteins or peptides are encoded by the open reading frames of the monkeypox ortholog genes M1R, A35R, A29L B6R, and orthologs of these proteins or peptides having 90% identity. The invention also entails a vaccine protocol against poxvirus whereby a vaccine is vaccinated with a first vaccine made up of a nucleic acid vaccine of three or more poxvirus virus genes, and subsequently vaccinated with at least one other booster vaccine made up of two or more poxvirus virus proteins.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority from provisional application No. 60 / 722,082, filed Sep. 21, 2005, and is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 11 / 523,867, filed Sep. 20, 2006, and the entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.[0002]Viruses in the family Poxyiridae, including vaccinia virus (VACV), variola virus (smallpox), and monkeybox virus, are characterized by a large linear double-stranded DNA genome (130-300 kb) packaged in a relatively large virion (.about.350.times.270 nm), and a cytoplasmic site of replication (reviewed by Moss, 1996, In “Fields Virology”, D. M. Knipe et al. Eds., vol. 3, pp 2637-2671. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia). Assembly of VACV virions begins with condensation of dense granular material into membrane-wrapped particles called intracellular mature virions (IMV). Recent findings indicate the IMV are wrapped by a single membrane (Hollingshead et al., 1999, J. Virol. 73, 1503-1517) rather t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The protein-based vaccine regimen provides effective protection against severe monkeypox infection in non-human primates, with higher antibody titers and reduced adverse effects compared to traditional live-virus vaccines, suitable for immunocompromised individuals and offering simpler and more convenient administration.

Problems solved by technology

However, in contrast to smallpox, monkeypox cannot be eradicated.

The live vaccine (Dryvax) that has eradicated smallpox worldwide poses serious side effects in a subset of people with acquired or congenital defects in the immune system.

Interestingly, DNA alone when delivered by needle injection, or proteins alone did not confer acceptable protection, whereas the combination of DNA and proteins did.

Images