H. Lundbeck A/s

Pharmexa A/s

Peter Koefoed

Klaus Gregorius Nielsen

Peter Birk Rasmussen

Martin Roland Jensen

Florence Dal Degan

Disclosed are novel methods and compositions for combating diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloid precursor protein (APP) or beta amyloid (A&#x3b2;). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogs of autologous APP or A&#x3b2;, said analogs being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A&#x3b2; which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes. Such methods and means include methods for the preparation of analogs and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as nucleic acid fragments, vectors, transformed cells, polypeptides and pharmaceutical formulations.

Amyloid-beta polypeptide vaccine

The present invention provides for novel immungens that are comprised of an activated polyhydroxypolymer backbone to which is attached 2 separate antigenic determinants. The 1st antigenic determinant includes a B-cell or CTL epitope and the 2nd antigenic determinant includes a T-helper epitope. In preferred embodiments, the antigenic determinants are derived from different molecules and species. Exemplary immunogens of the invention are constituted of a linear tresyl-activated dextran backbone to which is coupled B-cell or CTL epitopes of an antigen and to which is also coupled universal T-helper epitopes. Also disclosed are immunogenic compositions comprising the immunogens, methods of immunization and a method for identification of suitable immunogens of the invention.

Growing community of inventors

Horsholm, Denmark

Peter Koefoed