Therapeutic and diagnostic agents and uses thereof

A binding molecule comprising six complementarity determining regions (CDRs) corresponding to all six of the CDR sequences of an antibody selected from the group consisting of:

• (a) 1D3, wherein the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the variable heavy chain (VH) are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 8, 9 and 10, respectively, and the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the variable light chain (VL) are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 14, 15 and 16, respectively;
• (b) 1C10, wherein the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VH are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 112, 113 and 114, respectively, and the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VL are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 117, 83 and 118, respectively;
• (c) 1A10, wherein the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VH are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 112, 113 and 114, respectively, and the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VL are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 117, 83 and 118, respectively;
• (d) 1G9, wherein the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VH are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 76, 77 and 78, respectively, and the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VL are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 82, 83 and 84, respectively;
• and
• (e) 1E8, wherein the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VH are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 76, 95 and 96, respectively, and the CDR1, 2 and 3 sequences of the VL are as defined by SEQ ID NOs:
• 82, 99 and 100, respectively.

A vaccine composition suitable for use in vaccinating against, reducing the risk of, preventing, or combating a disease or a condition associated with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), wherein:

• the vaccine is an active or passive vaccine;
• the vaccine triggers and/or provides an immune response directed to an epitope present within ECD3 of a US28 protein of HCMV;
• and
• wherein ECD3 of the US28 protein comprises an amino acid sequence presented in the US28 protein at positions corresponding to positions 167 to 183 of the US28 protein encoded by HCMV as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5.

A method of screening for a binding molecule having binding specificity to an epitope within extracellular domain 3 (ECD3) of a US28 protein of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), wherein ECD3 of the US28 protein comprises an amino acid sequence presented in the US28 protein at positions corresponding to positions 167 to 183 of the US28 protein encoded by HCMV as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5, the method comprising:

• (a) providing one or more peptides corresponding to an amino acid sequence present in ECD3 of the US28 protein, optionally wherein the one or more peptides are provided in the form of one or more of the peptides or polypeptides according to claim 138;
• (b) providing one or more candidate binding molecules;
• (c) determining the binding specificity and/or binding affinity of one or more candidate binding molecules to the one or more peptides;
• and
• (d) optionally selecting a candidate binding molecule based on the binding specificity and/or binding affinity to the one or more peptides.

A peptide or polypeptide comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of:

• (a) the sequence TKKNNQCMTDYDYLEVS (SEQ ID NO:
• 6), or comprising the sequence of an immunogenic fragment of SEQ ID NO:
• 6, wherein said peptide or polypeptide is not the US28 protein, and preferably wherein the only US28-derived sequence in said peptide or polypeptide is the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 6 or the sequence of the immunogenic fragment of SEQ ID NO:
• 6;
• or
• (b) the sequence TKKDNQCMTDYDYLEVS (SEQ ID NO:7), or comprising the sequence of an immunogenic fragment of SEQ ID NO:
• 7, wherein said peptide or polypeptide is not the US28 protein, and preferably wherein the only US28-derived sequence in said peptide or polypeptide is the sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 7 or the sequence of the immunogenic fragment of SEQ ID NO:
• 7.

A combination of at least two distinct peptides and/or polypeptides, comprising a first peptide or polypeptide and a second peptide or polypeptide, wherein:

• the first peptide or polypeptide comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, the sequence TKKNNQCMTDYDYLEVS (SEQ ID NO:
• 6), or an immunogenic fragment thereof, with the proviso that said immunogenic fragment comprises at least the 4N amino acid of SEQ ID NO:
• 6;
• and
• the second peptide or polypeptide comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, the sequence TKKDNQCMTDYDYLEVS (SEQ ID NO:
• 7), or an immunogenic fragment thereof, with the proviso that said immunogenic fragment comprises at least the 4D amino acid of SEQ ID NO:
• 7.