# US 10,441,653 B2 · Nucleic acid comprising GlXmGn as an immune-stimulating agent/adjuvant

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- Number: US 10,441,653 B2
- Document ID: US10441653B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/492,787
- Filed: 2012-06-08
- Published: 2013-05-16
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2006-07-31
- Assignees: CureVac AG
- Applicants: Ingmar Hoerr; Jochen Probst; Thomas Ketterer; Birgit Scheel
- Inventors: Ingmar Hoerr; Jochen Probst; Thomas Ketterer; Birgit Scheel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441653B2

## CPC

- A61K 39/39: characterised by the immunostimulating additives, e.g. chemical adjuvants
- A61P 31/00: Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
- A61P 35/00: Antineoplastic agents
- A61P 35/02: specific for leukemia
- A61P 37/02: Immunomodulators
- A61P 37/04: Immunostimulants
- A61P 37/08: Antiallergic agents (antiasthmatic agents A61P11/06; ophthalmic antiallergics A61P27/14)
- C07H 21/02: with ribosyl as saccharide radical
- C12N 15/117: Nucleic acids having immunomodulatory properties, e.g. containing CpG-motifs
- A61K 2039/55561: {CpG containing adjuvants; Oligonucleotide containing adjuvants}
- C12N 2310/17: Immunomodulatory nucleic acids
- C12N 2310/3515: Lipophilic moiety, e.g. cholesterol
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
- C07H: SUGARS; DERIVATIVES THEREOF; NUCLEOSIDES; NUCLEOTIDES; NUCLEIC ACIDS (derivatives of aldonic or saccharic acids C07C, C07D; aldonic acids, saccharic acids C07C59/105, C07C59/285; cyanohydrins C07C255/16; glycals C07D; compounds of unknown constitution C07G; polysaccharides, derivatives thereof C08B; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; sugar industry C13)
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid of the general formula (I): GIXmGn, which may be modified by a lipid. The invention relates further to a pharmaceutical composition containing an immune-stimulating agent according to the invention in combination with a pharmaceutically active carrier/vehicle (and, optionally, further auxiliary substances, additives and/or further adjuvants). The present invention can relate to a vaccine, which corresponds to a pharmaceutical composition of the invention, wherein the pharmaceutically active component induces a specific immune response (e.g. an antigen). The present invention can relate to the use of a nucleic acid of the invention or a pharmaceutical composition according to the invention for the treatment of infectious diseases, autoimmune disease, allergies or cancer diseases.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of stimulating an immune response to a disease antigen, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising:
(a) the disease antigen or nucleic acid encoding a disease antigen; and
(b) a pharmaceutically effective amount of an adjuvant nucleic acid, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid comprises at least one adjuvant nucleic acid sequence selected from the following sequences:
(SEQ ID NO: 1)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 2)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 3)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 4)
GUGUGUGUGUGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGUGUGUGUGUGU;
(SEQ ID NO: 5)
GGUUGGUUGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGUUGGUUGGUU;
(SEQ ID NO: 10)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 11)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 12)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 13)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 14)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 15)
GGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 16)
GGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 17)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 18)
GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUG;
(SEQ ID NO: 23)
GGGGGGGUUUUUUUUGGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 24)
GGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 25)
GGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 26)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 27)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 28)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 29)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 30)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 31)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 36)
GGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 37)
GGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 38)
GGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 39)
GGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 40)
GGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 41)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 42)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 43)
GGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 44)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 45)
GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUG;
(SEQ ID NO: 46)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 47)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 48)
GGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 49)
GGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 50)
GGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 51)
GGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 52)
GGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 53)
GGGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 59)
GGUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 60)
GGUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 61)
GGUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 62)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 63)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 64)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 65)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 66)
GGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 72)
GGGUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 73)
GGGUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 74)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 75)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 76)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 77)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 78)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGUUUUUUUUUUU
UUUUGGG;
(SEQ ID NO: 79)
GGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG; and
wherein the immune response to the disease antigen or disease antigen nucleic acid is greater than if the patient was provided the disease antigen or disease antigen nucleic acid without the adjuvant nucleic acid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid has a length of 15 to 100 nucleotides.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid is RNA or DNA.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid is single-stranded RNA.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one nucleotide of the adjuvant nucleic acid is a non-naturally occurring analogue of a naturally occurring nucleotide selected from 1-methyl-adenosine, 2-methyl-adenosine, 2-methylthio-N6-isopentenyl-adenosine, N6-methyl-adenosine, N6-isopentenyl-adenosine, 2-thio-cytidine, 3-methyl-cytidine, 4-acetyl-cytidine, 2,6-diaminopurine, 1-methyl-guanosine, 2-methyl-guanosine, 2,2-dimethyl-guanosine, 7-methyl-guanosine, inosine, 1-methyl-inosine, dihydro-uridine, 4-thio-uridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thio-uridine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl)-uridine, 5-fluoro-uridine, 5-bromo-uridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-uridine, 5-methyl-2-thio-uridine, N-uridine-5-oxyacetic acid methyl ester, 5-methylaminomethyl-uridine, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thio-uridine, 5′-methoxycarbonylmethyl-uridine, 5-methoxy-uridine, uridine-5-oxyacetic acid methyl ester, uridine-5-oxyacetic acid (v), queosine, beta-D-mannosyl-queosine, and wybutoxosine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid is an RNA and additionally has at the 5′ terminus a cap structure and/or at the 3′ terminus a poly-A tail.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid contains a lipid modification.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the lipid-modified nucleic acid comprises the adjuvant nucleic acid, at least one linker covalently linked with the adjuvant nucleic acid, and a lipid covalently linked with the linker.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the lipid-modified nucleic acid comprises at least one bifunctional lipid covalently linked with the adjuvant nucleic acid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the lipid-modified nucleic acid comprises at least one linker covalently linked with the nucleic acid and at least one lipid covalently linked with the linker, and at least one bifunctional lipid covalently linked with the adjuvant nucleic acid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the lipid-modified nucleic acid contains 3 to 8 lipids per nucleic acid, wherein:
a) all the lipids are covalently linked with the adjuvant nucleic acid via a linker;
b) all the lipids are covalently linked directly with the adjuvant nucleic acid; or
c) at least one of the lipids are covalently linked with the adjuvant nucleic acid via a linker and at least one of the lipids are covalently linked directly with the adjuvant nucleic acid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the lipid comprises—vitamins, α-tocopherol, RRR-α-tocopherol, L-α-tocopherol, racemate D,L-α-tocopherol, vitamin A, retinoic acid, retinol, vitamin D, the ergosterol precursors of vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin E succinate (VES), vitamin K, quinone compounds, phytol compounds, steroids bile acids, cholic acid, deoxycholic acid, dehydrocholic acid, cortisone, digoxygenin, testosterone, cholesterol, thiocholesterol, polyalkylene glycols, aliphatic groups, C1-C20-alkanes, C1-C20-alkenes, C1-C20-alkanol compounds, dodecanediol, hexadecanol, undecyl residues, phospholipids, phosphatidylglycerol, diacylphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, distearoylphosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, di-hexadecyl-rac-glycerol, sphingolipids, cerebrosides, gangliosides, triethylammonium 1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-rac-glycero-3-H-phosphonate, polyamines, polyalkylene glycols, polyethylene glycol (PEG), hexaethylene glycol (HEG), palmitin residues, palmityl residues, octadecylamines residues, hexylamino-carbonyl-oxycholesterol residues, waxes, terpenes, alicyclic hydrocarbons, saturated fatty acid residues mono-unsaturated fatty acid residues or poly-unsaturated fatty acid residues.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the linker is selected from a compound that contains at least two, three or four reactive groups selected from a hydroxy group, an amino group and an alkoxy group.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the linker is selected from glycol, glycerol, glycerol derivatives, 2-aminobutyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-aminobutyl-1,3-propaoediol derivatives a 2-aminobutyl-1,3-propaoediol skeleton, pyrrolidine linkers or pyrrolidine-containing organic molecules.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the lipid modification is at the 3′ and/or 5′ end of the adjuvant nucleic acid.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and at least one auxiliary substance, additive, and/or adjuvant.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16, wherein the adjuvant is an immune-stimulating agent selected from the group consisting of cationic peptides and cationic polysaccharides.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises at least one additional disease antigen component, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and at least one auxiliary substance, additive, and/or adjuvant.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one disease antigen component is selected from the group consisting of peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, therapeutically active low molecular weight organic or inorganic compounds having a molecular weight less than 5000, sugars, antigens, antibodies, pathogens, attenuated pathogens, de-activated pathogens, human cells, cellular fragments or fractions and other therapeutic agents, which are adapted to exhibit enhanced transfection properties by complexation with lipids and/or polycationic peptides.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the disease antigen is associated with a cancer selected from colon carcinomas, melanomas, renal carcinomas, lymphomas, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), acute lymphoid leukaemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), gastrointestinal tumours, pulmonary carcinomas, gliomas, thyroid tumours tumours, mammary carcinomas, prostate tumours, hepatomas, virus-induced tumours, adenocarcinomas, herpes virus-induced tumours, heptatitis B-induced tumours, HTLV-1- and HTLV-2-induced lymphomas, acoustic neuromas/neurinomas, cervical cancer, lung cancer, pharyngeal cancer, anal carcinomas, glioblastomas, rectal carcinomas, astrocytomas, brain tumours, stomach cancer, retinoblastomas, basaliomas, brain metastases, medulloblastomas, vaginal cancer, pancreatic cancer, testicular cancer, melanomas, thyroidal carcinomas, bladder cancer, Hodgkin's syndrome, meningiomas, Schneeberger disease, bronchial carcinomas, hypophysis tumour, Mycosis fungoides, oesophageal cancer, breast cancer, carcinoids, neurinomas, spinaliomas, Burkitt's lymphomas, laryngeal cancer, renal cancer, thymomas, corpus carcinomas, bone cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, urethral cancer, CUP syndrome, head/neck tumours, oligodendrogliomas, vulval cancer, intestinal cancer, colon carcinomas, oesophageal carcinomas, wart involvement, tumours of the small intestine, craniopharyngeomas, ovarian carcinomas, soft tissue tumours/sarcomas, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic carcinomas, cervical carcinomas, endometrial carcinomas, liver metastases, penile cancer, tongue cancer, gall bladder cancer, leukaemia, plasmocytomas, uterine cancer, lid tumour and prostate cancer.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the disease antigen is associated with an infectious disease that is viral, bacterial, or parasitic.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the disease antigen is associated with an autoimmune disease that is selected from the group consisting of type I autoimmune diseases, type II autoimmune diseases, type III autoimmune diseases, and type IV autoimmune diseases.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the disease antigen is associated with an allergy that is selected from the group consisting of allergic asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, anaphylaxis, angiodema, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, eosinophilia, respiratory, allergies to insect stings, skin allergies, food allergies, and allergies to medicine.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the disease antigen is a tumour antigen.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the tumor antigen is a tumour specific surface antigen.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the disease antigen nucleic acid is an mRNA.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the mRNA has been modified such that it has been stabilized to reduce its susceptibility to degradation by exo- and/or endonucleases relative to wild type version.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the mRNA has been modified such that it has an increased G/C content relative to its wild type version.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the mRNA is associated with a cationic compound.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the cationic compound is polycationic peptide or protein.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid activates or binds a Toll-like receptor (TLR).

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the TLR is a TLR7 and/or TLR8.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the adjuvant nucleic acid activates an innate immune response.