Small liposomes for delivery of immunogen encoding RNA
AssigneeNovartis AG
InventorsAndrew Geall, Ayush Verma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Nucleic acid immunization is achieved by delivering RNA encapsulated within a liposome. The RNA encodes an immunogen of interest, and the liposome has a diameter in the range of 60-180 nm, and ideally in the range 80-160 nm. Thus the invention provides a liposome having a lipid bilayer encapsulating an aqueous core, wherein: (i) the lipid bilayer has a diameter in the range of 60-180 nm; and (ii) the aqueous core includes a RNA which encodes an immunogen. These liposomes are suitable for in vivo delivery of the RNA to a vertebrate cell and so they are useful as components in pharmaceutical compositions for immunizing subjects against various diseases.
Claims12
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a population of liposomes and a population of immunogen-encoding RNA molecules,
- wherein the average diameter of the liposomes in the population is about 100 nm, with a polydispersity index of less than about 0.1, wherein said population of liposomes comprise:
- (i) 20%-80% (molar percent) cationic lipid or lipids;
- (ii) a zwitterionic lipid;
- and (iii) 20%-80% (molar percent) cholesterol;
- wherein at least half of the population of RNA molecules are encapsulated in liposomes, wherein said population of RNA molecules are self-replicating RNA molecules that encode (a) a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase which can transcribe RNA from the self-replicating RNA and (b) an immunogen, and wherein said population of RNA molecules are not packaged in virion particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.