40 results about "Epstein bar virus" patented technology

Disclosed is a non-invasive method for diagnosis, prognosis or monitoring of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated cancer by detecting and/or quantifying EBV associated nucleic acid fragments in a urine sample from an individual. Kits for diagnosis, prognosis or monitoring of cancer are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to the identification of a subunit vaccine to prevent or treat infection of Epstein Barr Virus. In particular, EBNA-1 was identified as a vaccine antigen. In a specific embodiment, a purified protein corresponding to EBNA-1 elicited a strong CD4⁺ T cell response. The responsive CD4⁺ T cell are primarily T_H1 in function. EBNA-1 is an attractive candidate for a protective vaccine against EBV, and for immunotherapy of EBV infection and neoplasms, particularly with dendritic cells charged with EBNA-1.

Disclosed are nucleosides which are useful in diagnosing and treating viral infections, for example, infections caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV), and herpes viruses including Epstein Barr virus.

An isolated protein comprises respective amino acid sequences of each of a plurality of CTL epitopes from two or more different herpesvirus antigens and further comprises an intervening amino acid or amino acid sequence between at least two of said CTL epitopes comprising proteasome liberation amino acids or amino acid sequences and, optionally, Transporter Associated with Antigen Processing recognition motifs. The isolated protein is capable of rapidly expanding human cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in vitro and eliciting a CTL immune response in vivo upon administration to an animal as an exogenous protein. Typically, the isolated protein comprises no more than twenty (20) CTL epitopes derived from cytomegalovirus and/or Epstein-Barr virus antigens.

The present invention is concerned with oligonucleotides that can be used as in the amplification and detection of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) nucleic acid, in particular RNA-specific sequences. Furthermore a method for the diagnosis of EBV associated malignant and non-malignant diseases is provided. The oligonucleotides according to the present invention are specifically suited for the detection of EBV gene expression in circulating peripheral blood cells, in human (tumor) tissue samples and thin sections thereof using "in solution" amplification or "in situ" amplification techniques and in other biological samples potentially containing EBV-infected cells.

The present invention provides Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative NK cell lines. The NK cell lines of the present invention are useful for screening factors associated with the proliferation and expression functions of NK cells and to discover factors produced by the NK cells. In addition, the cell lines are immortalized despite the fact that they are EBV-negative. Thus, unknown mechanisms of oncogenesis may be elucidated through an understanding of the mechanisms underlying the immortalization of the cell lines of the present invention.

In the area of virus diagnosis, in particular Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) diagnosis, methods for the detection of EBV and agents suitable for this purpose are provided, including peptides which are derived from p18-VCA and permit discrimination between acute and past EBV infection.

A method of diagnosing a subset of Epstein Barr Virus, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients through a multi-prong clinical/serological analysis is provided wherein Epstein Barr Virus Abortive Lytic Replication (EBV) is determined by detecting the presence of BMRF1 in serum antibody assays. A method of treating patients diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus Abortive Lytic Replication (EBV), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) with specific antiviral nucleosides is also provided, to alleviate the condition.

The present invention discloses an isolated trifunctional bispecific antibody for use in a method of treating a patient suffering from a disease and/or a disorder associated with reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in at least B cells and potentially also other susceptible cells such as susceptible epithelial cells, comprising: providing an autologous cell preparation of enriched B cells of said patient; incubating said enriched B cells with the trifunctional bispecific antibody for a time-period sufficient to establish a physical interaction between said trifunctional bispecific antibodyand said enriched B cells to obtain an incubation mixture; transferring said incubation mixture obtained after incubation into the same patient, wherein said trifunctional bispecific antibody comprises: (a) a first binding arm which binds to a B cell via a B cell surface antigen; (b) a second binding arm which binds to a T cell via a T cell surface antigen; (c) an Fc-portion which binds to an Fcreceptor-positive cell. The present invention also discloses a pharmaceutical composition comprising the said isolated trifunctional bispecific antibody for use in the treatment of a patient sufferingfrom a disease and/or a disorder associated with reactivation of EBV in B cells, and an ex-vivo method for preparing the said pharmaceutical composition.

Modified Epstein Barr Virus DNA polymerase for use in nucleic acid amplification, including isothermal nucleic acid amplification, in vitro are provided. Methods using and kits comprising Epstein Barr Virus DNA polymerase and its variants of this invention for nucleic acid amplification in vitro, including isothermal DNA amplification, are also provided.

The present invention provides novel Epstein Barr virus (EBV) variants including those associated with increased risk for developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

The present invention relates to hepatitis C virus (HCV). More particularly, the invention relates to the development of a tool suitable for the search, discovery and validation of novel HCV antiviral drugs and therapies (e.g. vaccine). The invention further relates to methods for inducing HCV replication in vitro, and more particularly to a simple in vitro replication assay for HCV. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the methods of the present invention to prognose the resistance/sensitivity of a particular strain of HCV to a chosen anti-HCV agent. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to an adaptation of a therapeutic regimen for a patient infected with HCV which takes into account the resistance/sensitivity phenotype of the HCV strain which infects same. The invention more particularly, relates to a method for generating an established cell line which produces hepatitis C virus (HCV) comprising transforming peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) which produce HCV with Epstein Barr virus (EBV). The invention also relates to an EBV established B-cell line capable of replicating complete and infectious HCV. As well, the invention relates to a cell-based in vitro replication system for HCV comprising an EBV-transformed B-cell capable of replicating complete and infectious HCV, and a second cell population having HCV tropism and in which robust HCV replication occurs, so that under appropriate culture conditions the second cell population can become infected by the infectious HCV produced by the EBV-transformed B-cell. The present invention also relates to kits for transforming a HCV-producing cell and to kits for diagnosing HCV in a patient.

Methods for the rapid detection of the presence or absence of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) in a biological or non-biological sample are described. The methods can include performing an amplifying step, a hybridizing step, and a detecting step. Furthermore, primers and probes targeting EBV, and kits are provided that are designed for the detection of target regions of EBV. Also described are kits, reaction mixtures, and oligonucleotides (e.g., primer and probe) for the amplification and detection of EBV. Also described are primers and probes that detect different regions of EBV, and can be employed in a dual target assay for simultaneously detecting two different and non-overlapping target regions of EBV.