Immunoprotective influenza antigen and its use in vaccination
AssigneeVlaams Interuniversitair Instituut Voor Biotechnologie
InventorsSabine Neirynck, Willy Min Jou, Walter Fiers
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an influenza antigen, comprising a fusion product of at least (1) the extracellular part of a conserved influenza membrane protein (e.g., M2) or a functional equivalent thereof and (2) a presenting carrier. The presenting carrier may be a (poly)peptide or a non-peptidic structure such as glycans, peptide mimetics, and synthetic polymers. The invention further relates to methods of making and using the antigen, and to influenza vaccines comprising the antigen and optionally one or more excipients.
Claims17
A human influenza immunogenic composition comprising a fusion product, said fusion product comprising
- (i) an antigen comprising an immunogenic extracellular part of an M2 membrane protein of a human influenza A virus, wherein said extracellular immunogenic part consists of SEQ ID NOs:
- 1, 2 or 3, or an immunogenic fragment thereof that induces antibodies to human influenza A virus, and
- (ii) a heterologous peptide or polypeptide presenting carrier that is selected from the group consisting of a hepatitis B core protein, C3d, polypeptides comprising multiple copies of C3d, and tetanus toxin fragment C.
A method of obtaining a human influenza immunogenic composition, comprising
- providing a fusion product, said fusion product comprising
- (i) an antigen comprising an immunogenic extracellular part of an M2 membrane protein of a human influenza A virus, wherein said extracellular immunogenic part consists of SEQ ID NOs:
- 1, 2 or 3, or an immunogenic fragment thereof that induces antibodies to human influenza A virus, and
- (ii) a heterologous peptide or polypeptide presenting carrier that is selected from the group consisting of a hepatitis B core protein, C3d, polypeptides comprising multiple copies of C3d, and tetanus toxin fragment C;
- and
- mixing it with an excipient.
A human influenza immunogenic composition obtained by the following steps:
- providing a nucleic acid construct that encodes a fusion product, said fusion product comprising (i) an antigen comprising an immunogenic extracellular part of an M2 membrane protein of a human influenza A virus, wherein said extracellular immunogenic part consists of SEQ ID NOs:
- 1, 2 or 3, or an immunogenic fragment thereof that induces antibodies to human influenza A virus, and (ii) a heterologous peptide or polypeptide presenting carrier that is selected from the group consisting of a hepatitis B core protein, C3d, polypeptides comprising multiple copies of C3d, and tetanus toxin fragment C;
- introducing the nucleic acid construct into an acceptor cell;
- culturing the acceptor cell under conditions that allow expression of the fusion product;
- optionally isolating the fusion product from the acceptor cell or its culture medium, and
- optionally admixing the fusion product with an excipient,
- thereby obtaining a human influenza vaccine comprising the fusion product.
An influenza immunogenic composition for an animal species comprising a fusion product, said fusion product comprising
- (i) an antigen comprising an immunogenic extracellular part of an M2 membrane protein of a human influenza A virus, wherein said extracellular immunogenic part consists of SEQ ID NOs:
- 1, 2 or 3, or an immunogenic fragment thereof that induces antibodies to human influenza A virus, and
- (ii) a heterologous peptide or polypeptide presenting carrier that is selected from the group consisting of a hepatitis B core protein, C3d, polypeptides comprising multiple copies of C3d, and tetanus toxin fragment C.
A human influenza immunogenic composition comprising a fusion polypeptide, said fusion polypeptide comprising
- (i) an antigen comprising an immunogenic extracellular part of an M2 membrane protein of a human influenza A virus, wherein said extracellular immunogenic part consists of SEQ ID NOs:
- 1, 2 or 3, or an immunogenic fragment thereof that induces antibodies to human influenza A virus, and
- (ii) a heterologous peptide or polypeptide presenting carrier,
- said fusion polypeptide being the expression product of a gene construct comprising a coding sequence for said immunogenic extracellular part of an M2 membrane protein of a human influenza virus A of (i) linked to a coding sequence for said presenting carrier peptide or polypeptide of (ii).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.