Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Other

Richard R Lesniewski

Suresh M Desai

George J Dawson

Sushil G Devare

James M Casey

Robin A Gutierrez

James L Stewart

Stephen H Dailey

Kevin R Rupprecht

Gregory F Okasinski

Verlyn G Schaefer

Thomas S Suhar

Tat K Leung

The present invention provides an improved assay for detecting the presence of an antibody to an HCV antigen in a sample by contacting the sample with at least one polypeptide containing at least one epitope of an HCV antigen. Preferred assay formats include a confirmatory assay, a combination assay, a synthetic polypeptide-based assay, an immunodot assay and a competition assay.

Hepatitis C assay

Unique recombinant antigens representing distinct antigenic regions of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genome which can be used as reagents for the detection of antibodies and antigen in body fluids from individuals exposed to HCV. The present invention also provides an assay for detecting the presence of an antibody to an HCV antigen in a sample by contacting the sample with the recombinant antigens. Preferred assay formats include a screening assay, a confirmatory assay, a competition or neutralization assay and an immunodot assay.

Hepatitis C assay utilizing recombinant antigens

The present invention provides unique recombinant antigens representing distinct antigenic regions of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genome which can be used as reagents for the detection of antibodies and antigen in body fluids from individuals exposed to HCV. The present invention also provides an assay for detecting the presence of an antibody to an HCV antigen in a sample by contacting the sample with the recombinant antigens. Preferred assay formats include a screening assay, a confirmatory assay, a competition or neutralization assay and an immunodot assay.

This invention provides a novel mammalian expression system that is capable of generating high levels of expressed hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins which have previously proved difficult to express due to their non-secretory properties. In particular, the invention provides a plasmid for the expression of the HCV second envelope protein (E2) designated p577. This plasmid encodes a recombinant protein comprising the immunoglobulin signal peptide and amino acids 388-664 of the HCV E2 glycoprotein. This unique expression system produces high levels of HCV proteins that are properly processed, glycosylated, and folded.

Hepatitis C virus second envelope (HCV-E2) glycoprotein expression system

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Kenosha, WI, United States of America

Richard R Lesniewski