Adenovirus carrying gag gene HIV vaccine
AssigneeMerck & Co., Inc.
InventorsLing Chen, John W. Shiver, Andrew J. Bett, Danilo R. Casimiro, Michael J. Caulfield, Michael A. Chastain, Emilio A. Emini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adenoviral vector is described which carries a codon-optimized gag gene, along with a heterologous promoter and transcription terminator. This viral vaccine can effectively prevent HIV infection when administered to humans either alone or as part of a prime and boost regime also with a vaccine plasmid.
Claims20
A vaccine composition comprising a replication defective adenoviral vector comprising at least one gene encoding a HIV gag protein which is codon optimized for expression in a human, and the gene is operably linked to a heterologous promoter and transcription terminator.
An adenoviral vaccine vector comprising:
- a) a replication defective adenoviral vector, wherein the adenoviral vector does not have a functional E1 gene, and further comprising:
- b) a gene expression cassette comprising:
- i) a nucleic acid encoding a gag protein which is codon optimized for expression in a human host;
- ii) a heterologous promoter operatively linked to the nucleic acid encoding the gag protein;
- and
- iii) a transcription terminator.
An adenoviral vaccine composition for producing an immune response against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a human comprising:
- a) adenovirus serotype 5 sequences bp 1 to bp 341 and bp 3534 to 5798;
- and
- b) a gene expression cassette, located 3′ to adenovirus sequence bp 341, comprising:
- i) a nucleic acid encoding gag which is codon-optimized and optionally has the tPA leader sequence at its 5′ end;
- ii) a human CMV promoter plus intron A operatively linked to the nucleic acid encoding gag;
- and
- iii) a bovine growth hormone transcription terminator.
A method of generating a cellular immune response against an HIV protein in an individual comprising administering to the individual at least one adenovirus vaccine vector and a vaccine plasmid,
- wherein said adenovirus vaccine vector comprises:
- a) a replication defective adenoviral vector, wherein the adenoviral vector does not have a functional E1 gene, and
- b) a gene expression cassette comprising:
- i) a nucleic acid encoding gag protein optimized for expression in a human host;
- ii) a heterologous promoter operatively linked to the nucleic acid encoding the gag protein;
- and iii) a transcription terminator;
- and wherein said vaccine plasmid comprises:
- a) a gene expression cassette comprising:
- a nucleic acid encoding a gag protein, wherein the nucleic acid is codon optimized for expression in a human host;
- b) a promoter;
- and
- c) a transcription terminator
- wherein the vaccine plasmid does not contain any adenoviral genes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.