Defensin-antigen fusion proteins
AssigneeThe U.S.A., as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
InventorsLarry W. Kwak, Bira Arya
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a vaccine for increasing the immunogenicity of a tumor antigen thus allowing treatment of cancer, as well as a vaccine that increases the immunogenicity of a viral antigen, thus allowing treatment of viral infection, including immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In particular, the present invention provides a fusion protein comprising a defensin fused to either a tumor antigen or viral antigen which is administered as either a protein or nucleic acid vaccine to elicit an immune response effective in treating cancer or effective in treating or preventing viral infection.
Claims24
A method for treating a subject that has a viral infection, comprising,
- administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a fusion polypeptide and a carrier, or a composition comprising a nucleic acid encoding the fusion polypeptide and a carrier,
- wherein the fusion polypeptide comprises a defensin and a viral antigen from the virus,
- thereby inducing an immune response to the virus and treating the viral infection in the subject.
A method for inducing an immune response to a viral antigen, comprising,
- administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a nucleic acid encoding a fusion polypeptide and a carrier,
- wherein the fusion polypeptide comprises a defensin and the viral antigen
- thereby inducing an immune response to the viral antigen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.