Purified hepatitis C virus envelope proteins for diagnostic and therapeutic use

A method for detecting antibodies to HCV comprising:

• combining a sample which may contain said antibodies with at least one of an E1 protein of HCV which had been purified to at least 80% pure and an E2 protein of HCV which had been purified to at least 80% pure, and a buffer, under conditions such that an immune complex between said at least one protein and said antibodies present in said sample is formed;
• and
• detecting said immune complex.

A method for detecting antibodies to HCV comprising:

• combining a sample which may contain said antibodies with an E1 protein of HCV and an E2 protein of HCV wherein at least one of said E1 protein and said E2 protein has been purified to at least 80% pure, and a buffer, under conditions such that an immune complex is formed between said antibodies present in said sample and at least one of said E1 protein and said E2 protein;
• and
• detecting said immune complex.

The method of claim 22 wherein said recombinant protein had been expressed in recombinant mammalian cells or recombinant yeast cells.