Antiviral supramolecules containing target-binding molecules and

Abstract

Complexes are prepared containing two or more different effector molecules joined to each other by a joining component. One effector molecule is a binding molecule such as an antibody or Fc receptor that binds to a molecular target such as a virus or antibody at a site of infection or tumor, and another effector molecule is a therapeutic molecule such as an enzyme or drug. The joining component may be a liposome, protein or an organic polymer (including a dendrimer type polymer), and may be of sufficient length and/or flexibility to permit the therapeutic molecule to physically interact with the target at the same time as the binding molecule. Supramolecules are formed containing at least two supramolecular component molecules that contain an effector molecule and a nucleic acid chain. A nucleic acid chain on a component molecule is complementary to a nucleic acid chain on another component molecule to enable binding of the component molecules of the supramolecule by the formation of double stranded nucleic acid chains between complementary chains. A targetable antiviral supramolecule is prepared containing spectrin as the joining component. The binding molecule can be an antibody specific for an antigen on a viral particle and the therapeutic molecule can be an enzyme capable of destroying infectivity of the virus by hydrolysis of viral coat protein or viral lipid.