Fit Biotech Oy

Fit Biotech Oyj Plc

Icosagen Cell Factory Ou

Kosagen Cell Factory Oü

Quattromed Ltd.

Estonian Biocentre

Mart Ustav

Urve Toots

Andres Männik

Ene Ustav

Kai Krohn

Annamari Ranki

Vesna Blazevic

Marja Tähtinen

Toomas Silla

Ingrid Tagen

Aare Abroi

Kadri Janikson

Tiiu Mandel

Jelizaveta Geimanen

Andres Mannik

Andres Tover

Anne Kalling

Radi Tegova

Jüri Parik

Gaily Kivi

Silja Laht

Tanel Tenson

Kaja Kiiver

Maarja Ado-Jaan

Rein Sikut

Reet Kurg

Niilo Kaldalu

Tarmo Mölder

Kaupo Teesalu

Katrin Kaldma

Kristiina Salk

Anu Remm

Regina Pipits

Tormi Reinson

Marit Orav

Helen Isok-Paas

Triin Laos

Jr Ustav Mart

Andres MÄNNIK

Maarja Adojaan

A method for treating an HIV disease in a subject in need of said treatment, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a DNA vaccine comprising an expression vector and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, where the expression vector comprises: (a) a heterologous promoter operatively linked to a DNA sequence encoding a nuclear-anchoring protein, where the nuclear-anchoring protein comprises: (i) a DNA binding domain which binds to a specific DNA binding sequence, and (ii) a functional domain of the Bovine Papilloma Virus Type 1 E2 protein, where the functional domain binds to a nuclear component; (b) a multimerized DNA sequence that forms a binding site for the nuclear anchoring protein; and (c) at least one expression cassette comprising a DNA sequence encoding a protein or peptide that stimulates an immune response specific to the protein or peptide; where the expression vector lacks an origin of replication functional in mammalian cells.

Methods of treating HIV diseases using novel expression vectors

The present invention relates to an alphaviral replicase, especially Semliki Forest Virus replicase, or an expression vector encoding an alphaviral replicase, said alphaviral replicase comprising RNA dependent RNA polymerase activity, for use as an immune system modulating adjuvant. The alphaviral replicase may be used in the combination with a vaccine providing an adjuvant function therein, which when present therein will generate an additional boost to the immune response in the subject to whom this combination is administered as compared to when the vaccine alone is administered to a subject in need thereof. The aim of the present invention is to provide an efficient and easy to administer, species-independent adjuvant which will provide advantages to the adjuvants used together with vaccines today.

Expression vector encoding alphavirus replicase and the use thereof as immunological adjuvant

This disclosure shows that the EBV FR-element comprised of EBNA1 multimeric binding sites can provide the stable maintenance replication function to the mouse polyomavirus (PyV) core origin plasmids in the presence of BPV-1 E2 protein and PyV large T-antigen (LT).

Viral expression plasmids for production of proteins, antibodies, enzymes, virus-like particles and for use in cell-based assays

This disclosure shows that the BPV-1 E2 protein-dependent minichromosome maintenance element (MME) comprised of E2 multimeric binding sites can provide the stable maintenance replication function to the mouse polyomavirus (PyV) core origin plasmids in the presence of BPV-1 E2 protein and PyV large T-antigen (LT). MME dependent plasmids are lost with the frequency of 6% per generation. Significantly long stable maintenance replication can also be provided without selection pressure. We also demonstrate that PyV core origin maintenance function/replication activation could be provided by Epstein-Barr virus Family of repeats and EBNA1 protein. The maintenance of the Polyomavirus core origin plasmid was characterized by 13% loss of the plasmid during one cell generation in the case of EBV FR harboring plasmids. Our data clearly indicate that maintenance functions from different viruses can provide segregation/partitioning function to different heterologous origins in variety of cells and can be used in expression of gene products.

Vectors, cell lines and their use in obtaining extended episomal maintenance replication of hybrid plasmids and expression of gene products

A selection system free of antibiotic resistance genes, which is based on the use of an araD gene as a selection marker carried on a vector which is inserted in a bacterial strain deficient of the araD gene. The araD gene fromencodes the L-ribulose-5-phosphate-4-epimerase. A method of selecting the cells transformed with a plasmid, which contains the araD gene. The non-antibiotic selection marker makes the system suitable for producing therapeutics. The araD gene is not essential for growth of the host but manipulation of it affects the growth under certain selective conditions. Deletion of araD leads to accumulation of substance which is toxic to the host but not to humans. The araD gene is relatively small and therefore a small plasmid may be constructed, which requires less energy for replication, and leads to increased growth rate and yield.

Selection system containing non-antibiotic resistance selection marker

The present invention relates to novel vectors, to DNA vaccines and gene therapeutics containing the vectors, to methods for the preparation of the vectors and DNA vaccines and gene therapeutics containing the vectors, and to therapeutic uses of the vectors. The novel vectors comprise (a) an expression cassette of a gene of a nuclear-anchoring protein, which contains (i) a DNA binding domain capable of binding to a specific DNA sequence and (ii) a functional domain capable of binding to a nuclear component and (b) a multimerized DNA sequence forming a binding site for the anchoring protein, and optionally (c) one or more expression cassettes of a DNA sequence of interest. The vectors lack a papilloma virus origin of replication.

Expression vectors and uses thereof

The present invention relates to novel vectors, to DNA vaccines and gene therapeutics containing said vectors, to methods for the preparation of the vectors and DNA vaccines and gene therapeutics, and to therapeutic uses of said vectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to novel vectors comprising an expression cassette of a gene of a nuclear-anchoring protein, which contains a DNA binding domain capable of binding to a specific DNA sequence and a functional domain capable of binding to a nuclear component and a multimerized DNA sequence forming a binding site for the nuclear-anchoring protein, and optionally an expression cassette of a gene, genes or a DNA sequence or DNA sequences of interest. The present invention further relates to DNA vaccines and gene therapeutics containing the novel vectors, to methods for the preparation of the novel vectors and the DNA vaccines and gene therapeutics.

This invention is concerned with a peptide tag having sequence SSTSSDFRDR or GVSSTSSDFRDR derived from transactivator protein E2 of Bovine Papillomavirus type 1, and the fusion polypeptide containing said peptide tag, and the expression vector comprising the oligonucleotide sequence encoding said peptide tag. The invention relates also to the antibodies specific for the peptide tag and the methods for detecting and purifying tagged proteins.

Peptide tag for monitoring and purification of proteins

The invention relates to a recombinant vector for stable persistence of exogenous DNA in a eukaryotic cell, and the uses of the recombinant vector for long-term stable production of gene product in the host cell, the vector including the minichromosomal maintenance element of papillomavirus.

Episomal vectors and uses thereof

Growing community of inventors

Tartu, Estonia

Mart Ustav