Connaught Laboratories Limited

Aventis Pasteur Limited

Sanofi Pasteur Inc.

Other

Therion Biologics Corporation

Benjamin Rovinski

Michel Henri Klein

Fei-Long Yao

Roy Persson

Shi-Xian Cao

Shi Xian Cao

Joel E Haynes

Mark Parrington

Linda R Gritz

Linong Zhang

Patricia Greenhalgh

Charles D Y Sia

James Tartaglia

Diane M Gajewczyk

Patricia Greenhaigh

Phillipe Moingeon

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide and the use of the nucleic acid or polypeptide in preventing and/or treating cancer. In particular, the invention relates to improved vectors for the insertion and expression of foreign genes encoding tumor antigens for use in immunotherapeutic treatment of cancer.

Modified CEA/B7 vector

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide and the use of the nucleic acid or polypeptide in preventing and/or treating cancer. The invention relates to improved vectors for the insertion and expression of foreign genes encoding tumor antigens for use in immunotherapeutic treatment of cancer. One such foreign DNA sequence is modified CEA nucleic acid.

Modified CEA nucleic acid and expression vectors

Non-infectious, retrovirus-like particles contain mutations to reduce gag-dependent RNA-packaging of the gag gene product, eliminate reverse transcriptase activity of the pol gene product, eliminate integrase activity of the pol gene product and eliminate RNase H activity of the pol gene product through genetic manipulation of the gag and pol genes. The corresponding nucleic acid molecules are described. The non-infectious, retrovirus-like particles have utility in in vivo administration including to humans and in diagnosis.

Retrovirus-like particles made non-infectious by a plurality of mutations

A vector for eliciting an immune response to a host comprising a gene encoding the gp140 protein of the primary isolate of HIV-1, BX08, under the control of a promotor for expression of the protein in the host, specifically plasmids pCMV.gp140.BX08, pMP83, pMP84 and pMP88. Murine and human MHC class 1-restricted binding motifs contained in BX08 are identified.

Expressing gp140 fragment of primary HIV-1 isolate

The present invention is directed toward methods for the production of non-infectious, replication-deficient, immunogenic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-like particles. These particles are prepared from a recombinant expression vector comprising a heterologous promoter operatively connected to a DNA molecule comprising a modified HIV genome devoid of the long terminal repeat (LTR) regulatory regions but containing at least the gag and pol genes in their natural genomic arrangement. This vector is introduced into mammalian cells to produce the particles of interest. These particles should prove useful in a number of diagnostic, virologic, and immunologic applications.

Non-infectious, non-replicating, immunogenic human immunodeficiency virus-like particles

Non-infectious, non-replicating immunogenic HIV-like particles are produced by stable long-term constitutive expression in mammalian cells by eliminating elements toxic to the mammalian cells. An expression vector contains a nucleic acid molecule comprising a modified HIV genome devoid of long terminal repeats and wherein Tat and vpr sequences are functionally disabled and a constitutive promoter operatively connected to the modified HIV genome for constitutive expression of the modified genome to produce the HIV-like particles.

Constitutive expression of non-infectious HIV-like particles

Non-infectious, retrovirus-like particles comprise an assembly of an env gene product, a pol gene product and a gag gene product contain an antigenic marker which is non-retroviral or non-HIV retroviral. In one embodiment, the marker comprises an amino acid sequence containing an epitope inserted into the gag gene product at an antigenically-active insertion site. In another embodiment, the marker comprises an antigenic anchor sequence operatively connected to the env gene product replacing endogenous anchoring function. The corresponding nucleic acid molecules are described. The non-infectious, retrovirus-like particles have utility in in vivo administration including to humans and in diagnosis. The presence of the antigenic marker enables recognition that antiserum containing anti-retroviral antibodies has been generated by exposure to the non-infectious retrovirus-like particles by testing for antibodies specific to the antigenic marker.

Anigenically-marked non-infectious retrovirus-like particles

Non-infectious, immunogenic, human immunodeficiency virus-like particles devoid of long terminal repeats and a functional pol coding region

Antigentically-marked non-infectious retrovirus-like particles

Non-infectious, retrovirus-like particles contain mutations to reduce gag-dependent RNA-packaging of the gag gene product, eliminate reverse transcriptase activity of the pol gene product, eliminate integrase activity of the pol gene, product and eliminate RNase H activity of the pol gene product through genetic manipulation of the gag and pol genes. The corresponding nucleic acid molecules are described. The non-infectious, retrovirus-like particles have utility in in vivo administration including to humans and in diagnosis.

Retrovirus like particles made non infectious by a plurality of mutations

A vector for eliciting an immune response to a host comprising a gene encoding the gp140 protein of the primary isolate of HIV-1, BX08, under the control of a promotor for expression of the protein in the host, specifically plasmid pCMV.gp140.BX08. Murine and human MHC class 1-restricted binding motifs contained in BX08 are identified.

Growing community of inventors

Thornhill, Canada

Benjamin Rovinski