Chiron Corporation

Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics, Gmbh

The Director General of the National Institute of Health of Japan

Amy J Weiner

Michael Houghton

Jang Hyun Han

Janice A Kolberg

Michael S Urdea

Qui-Lim Choo

George Kuo

Tatsuo Miyamura

Kathelyn S Steimer

Weibo Wang

David Y Chien

Izumi Saito

Keith Bruce Pfister

John M Polo

Bruce D Irvine

Tai-An Cha

Allan S Wagman

Paul Andrew Barsanti

Simon C Ng

Zhi-Jie Ni

Nicholas M Valiante

John J Donnelly

Liana Marie Lagniton

Nathan Brammeier

Anthony Diebes

Casey Philbin

Nicholas Valiante

Vega Masignani

Konrad Stadler

Mi Young Seo

Jens-Peter Gregersen

Rino Rappuoli

Hyun Chul Song

Hans Dieter Klenk

The present invention is directed to novel immune potentiators, novel vaccine adjuvants, novel compounds and pharmaceutical compositions, novel methods for treating viral infections, including HCV, by administering the compounds, and novel methods for modulating an immune response by administering the compounds.

Thiosemicarbazones as anti-virals and immunopotentiators

The hypervariable region (E2HV) of the putative hepatitis C virus (HCV) glycoprotein E2/NS1, between about amino acid 384 to about amino acid 414, is a rapidly evolving region of HCV, and is likely to be under positive immune selection. A newly discovered motif within this hypervariable region is immunogenic and conserved with respect to the character of the amino acids. In many isolates, this motif falls between amino acids 401 to 406 or 407. The discovery of this motif allows for additional materials and methods to treat and diagnose HCV.

Conserved motif of hepatitis C virus E2/NS1 region

Fusion proteins comprising an immunogenic polypeptide are disclosed. The immunogenic polypeptide consists of the amino acid sequence motif Xaa-Thr-Xaa-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Xaa-Ala-Ala-Arg-Thr-Thr-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Xaa-Ser-Leu-Phe-Xaa-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Ser-Gln-Xaa-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile (SEQ ID NO:8). Also disclosed are immunogenic compositions comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and the fusion protein.

Immunogenic compositions comprising an immunogenic polypeptide and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle are described. The immunogenic polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence Xaa-Thr-Xaa-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Xaa-Ala-Ala-Arg-Thr-Thr-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Xaa-Ser-Leu-Phe-Xaa-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Ser-Gln-Xaa-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile (SEQ ID NO:8). The immunogenic polypeptide can be coupled to a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, such as a diphtheria toxoid.

Immunogenic polypeptides comprising hepatitis C virus (HCV) immunogens are described. The HCV immunogen comprises the amino acid sequence Xaa-Thr-Xaa-Val-Thr-Gly-Gly-Xaa-Ala-Ala-Arg-Thr-Thr-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Xaa-Ser-Leu-P he-Xaa-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-Ser-Gln-Xaa-Ile-Gln-Leu-Ile (SEQ ID NO:8). The immunogenic polypeptide can be coupled to a bacterial toxoid, such as a diphtheria toxoid.

This invention relates generally to immunoreactive polypeptide compositions comprising hepatitis type C viral epitopes, methods of using the compositions in immunological applications, and materials and methods for making the compositions

Immunoreactive polypeptide compositions

The present invention is directed to extracorporeal cell systems infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present invention also relates to products of such cell systems and their use as vaccines and in immunoassays. Methods whereby HCV-infected extracorporeal cell systems are constructed are included, and various immunoassays to detect HCV antibodies are also presented. The HCV-infected cell systems can be used to screen putative antiviral agents.

Hepatitis C virus infected cell systems

Two new isolates of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), J1 and J7, are disclosed. These new isolates comprise nucleotide and amino acid sequences which are distinct from the prototype HCV isolate, HCV1. Thus, J1 and J7 provide new polynucleotides and polypeptides for use, inter alia, in diagnostics, recombinant protein production and vaccine development.

Hepatitis C virus isolate polypeptides

A heteroduplex tracking assay (HTA), a hybridization based method of determining the genetic relationship between two or more viral genomes, for genotyping HCV is disclosed. The HTA for genotyping HCV was developed using single stranded probes derived form the carboxyl terminus of core and part of the E1 for HCV subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, and 3a. HTA is more accurate than RFLP for sub-typing HCV and has potential for identifying new variants and is useful for epidemiological studies.

Heteroduplex tracking assay (HTA) for genotyping HCV

This invention relates generally to immunoreactive polypeptide compositions comprising hepatitis type C viral epitopes, methods of using the compositions in immunological applications, and materials and methods for making the compositions.

A new virus, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has proven to be the major etiologic agent of blood-borne NANBH, was discovered by Applicant. Reagents for isolating, amplifying, and detecting HCV polynucleotides are provided. These reagents are oligomers comprised of polynucleotide sequences which are capable of forming hybrid structures with HCV target polynucleotide sequences.

NANBV diagnostics: polynucleotides useful for screening for hepatitis C

A new virus, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has proven to be the major etiologic agent of blood-borne NANBH, was discovered by Applicant. Reagents for isolating, amplifying, and detecting HCV polynucleotides are provided. These reagents are oligomers containing polynucleotide sequences which are capable of forming hybrid structures with HCV target polynucleotide sequences.

Growing community of inventors

Benicia, CA, United States of America

Amy J Weiner