Vaccines against hepatitis b virus

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one peptide further comprises one or more additional amino acid at the N-terminus and/or C-terminus to increase the net positive charge and/or to reduce hydrophobicity of the peptide.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said composition is capable of eliciting an immune response in PBMC from at least two individuals of different ethnicities and from two individuals infected with different HBV genotypes.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more peptides of from 15 to 60 amino acids in length comprising a fragment of at least 15 contiguous amino acids of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:

• 1.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, which comprises from 2 to 10 said peptides.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, which comprises at least two of the ten peptides comprising the sequences shown in SEQ ID NOs:

• 24, 25, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises at least one peptides of from 15 to 60 amino acids in length comprising a sequence of at least 15 contiguous amino acids of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:

• 55 or of a sequence having at least 80% identity to at least 15 contiguous amino acids of the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 55, wherein the peptide comprises at least one CD8+ T-cell epitope and/or at least one CD4+ T-cell epitope and elicits a response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from at least one chronically infected HBV individual in an in vitro assay.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peptides are linked to a fluorocarbon vector.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises HBc, HBe, or HBs antigen.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises an adjuvant.

The composition of any one of the preceding claims for use in the treatment or prevention of HBV infection.

A peptide of from 15 to 60 amino acids in length comprising at least 15 contiguous amino acids of the sequence shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs:

• 1 to 4 or of a sequence having at least 80% identity to one of the sequences shown in SEQ ID NOs:
• 1 to 4, which peptide comprises at least one CD8+ T-cell epitope and/or at least one CD4+ T-cell epitope and is capable of eliciting a response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from at least one chronically infected HBV individual in an in vitro assay.

A peptide comprising one of the sequences shown in SEQ ID NOs:

• 24 to 38, or a sequence having at least 80% identity to one of the sequences shown in SEQ ID NOs:
• 24 to 38.