Human papillomavirus vectors for the episomal transduction of host cells and method of making same

A replicon for delivery of a transgene for episomal gene expression in a mammalian host cell comprising:

• a transgene having an open reading frame or other nucleic acid sequence for transcription into RNA and under the transcriptional control of a first surrogate promoter and an expression enhancer sequence wherein said first surrogate promoter is selected from a group consisting of:
• HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, HPV-18 and wherein said expression enhancer sequence is selected from a group consisting of:
• HPV-6 upstream regulatory region, HPV-11 upstream regulatory region, HPV-16 upstream regulatory region, HPV-18 upstream regulatory region an endogenous HPV upstream regulatory region;
• a first gene sequence expressing the HPV viral replication initiator protein E1 under the control of an endogenous HPV upstream regulatory region;
• and
• a second gene sequence expressing the HPV viral replication origin-binding protein E2 under the control of an endogenous HPV upstream regulatory region, wherein said transgene, said first and said second sequences are incorporated within at least one plasmid and less than three plasmids.