The Immune Response Corporation

Lawrence R Smith

Dennis J Carlo

Steven W Brostoff

Daniel P Gold

Darcy B Wilson

The present invention provides vaccines and a means of vaccinating a mammal so as to prevent or control specific T cell mediated pathologies or to treat the unregulated replication of T cells. The vaccine is composed of a T cell receptor (TCR) or a fragment thereof corresponding to a TCR present on the surface of T cells mediating the pathology. The vaccine fragment can be a peptide corresponding to sequences of TCRs characteristic of the T cells mediating said pathology. The vaccine is administered to the mammal in a manner that induces an immunologically effective response so as to affect the course of the disease. The invention additionally provides specific &bgr;-chain variable regions of the T cell receptor, designated V&bgr;6.2/3, V&bgr;6.5, V&bgr;2, V&bgr;5.1, V&bgr;13 and V&bgr;7, which are central to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS).

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Cardiff, CA, United States of America

Lawrence R Smith