Collectin-complement activating protein chimeras

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fusion protein capable of activating the complement system, the fusion protein comprising a first polypeptide sequence derived from a lectin-complement pathway activating protein or a functional homologue thereof; and a second polypeptide sequence derived from a collectin or a functional homologue thereof; wherein said complement activating protein is not a collectin. A preferred fusion protein comprises amino acids of the L-ficolin sequence of FIG. 1 and amino acids of the MBL sequence shown in FIG. 2. The fusion protein is suitable for use in treatment consisting of creation, reconstitution, enhancing and/or stimulating the opsonic and/or bactericidal activity of the complement system, i.e. enhancing the ability of the immune defence to recognise and kill microbial pathogens, and accordingly, the invention relates to a medicament comprising the fusion protein, methods for producing said fusion protein and methods for treating diseases, in particular infections.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.