Compositions for preventing and/or treating an infection by an HIV-1 virus

An antigenic peptide of Formula I:

• Formula I
• (I)
• [Nt-SEQ ID No 1-Ct]
• Nt-S-X1-X2-X3-K-X4-Ct
• wherein
• Nt comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length,
• Ct comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length, and
• each of X1 to X4 is an amino acid residue, wherein:
• (i) X1 is the amino acid W or (ii) X1 is any amino acid residue except W,
• (i) X2 is the amino acid S or (ii) X2 is any amino acid residue except S,
• (i) X3 is the amino acid N or (ii) X3 is any amino acid residue except N,
• (i) X4 is the amino acid S or (ii) X4 is any amino acid residue except S,
• with the proviso that
• three out of the four amino acid residues X1, X2, X3 and X4 are an amino acid as defined in (i), and
• the remaining amino acid residue is any amino acid residue except the amino acid residue as defined in (i),
• and wherein the antigenic peptide is not the peptide of SEQ ID No 16.

A method for detecting and/or quantifying antibodies directed against a peptide of Formula I in a sample, comprising the following steps:

• a) contacting a sample to be tested with one or more peptides of,
• Formula I
• (I)
• [Nt-SEQ ID No 1-Ct]
• Nt-S-X1-X2-X3-K-X4-Ct
• Formula I
• wherein
• Nt comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length,
• Ct comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length, and
• each of X1 to X4 is an amino acid residue, wherein:
• (i) X1 is the amino acid W or (ii) X1 is any amino acid residue except W,
• (i) X2 is the amino acid S or (ii) X2 is any amino acid residue except S,
• (i) X3 is the amino acid N or (ii) X3 is any amino acid residue except N,
• (i) X4 is the amino acid S or (ii) X4 is any amino acid residue except S, with the proviso that
• three out of the four amino acid residues X1, X2, X3 and X4 are an amino acid as defined in (i), and
• the remaining amino acid residue is any amino acid residue except the amino acid residue as defined in (i),
• and wherein the antigenic peptide is not the peptide of SEQ ID No 16;
• and
• b) detecting and/or quantifying the formation of complexes between said peptides of formula (I) and antibodies present in said sample.

A kit for detecting and/or quantifying antibodies directed against at least one peptide of Formula I in a sample, comprising:

• a) one or more peptides of Formula I:
• Formula I
• (I)
• [Nt-SEQ ID No 1-Ct
• Nt-S-X1-X2-X3-K-X4-Ct,
• wherein
• Nt comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length,
• Ct comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length, and
• each of X1 to X4 is an amino acid residue, wherein:—(i) X1 is the amino acid W or (ii) X1 is any amino acid residue except W,
• (i) X2 is the amino acid S or (ii) X2 is any amino acid residue except S,
• (i) X3 is the amino acid N or (ii) X3 is any amino acid residue except N,
• (i) X4 is the amino acid S or (ii) X4 is any amino acid residue except S, with the proviso that
• three out of the four amino acid residues X1, X2, X3 and X4 are an amino acid as defined in (i), and
• the remaining amino acid residue is any amino acid residue except the amino acid residue as defined in (i),
• and wherein the antigenic peptide is not the peptide of SEQ ID No 16, and
• b) one or more reagents for detecting complexes formed between said one or more peptides and antibodies present in the said sample.

A vaccine composition comprising

• a) one or more peptides of Formula I:
• Formula I
• (I)
• [Nt-SEQ ID No 1-Ct]
• Nt-S-X1-X2-X3-K-X4-Ct
• wherein
• Nt comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length,
• Ct comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length, and
• each of X1 to X4 is an amino acid residue, wherein:
• (i) X1 is the amino acid W or (ii) X1 is any amino acid residue except W,
• (i) X2 is the amino acid S or (ii) X2 is any amino acid residue except s,
• (i) X3 is the amino acid N or (ii) X3 is any amino acid residue except N,
• (i) X4 is the amino acid S or (ii) X4 is any amino acid residue except S, with the proviso that
• three out of the four amino acid residues X1, X2, X3 and X4 are an amino acid as defined in (i), and
• the remaining amino acid residue is any amino acid residue except the amino acid residue as defined in (i),
• and wherein the antigenic peptide is not the peptide of SEQ ID No 16;
• and
• b) at least one adjuvant of immunity.

A method of treating an infection with HIV-virus in an individual in need thereof, comprising administering to said individual an effective amount of an immunogenic composition comprising an antigenic peptide of Formula I,

• Formula I
• (I)
• [Nt-SEQ ID No 1-Ct]
• Nt-S-X1-X2-X3-K-X4-Ct
• wherein
• Nt comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length,
• Ct comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length, and
• each of X1 to X4 is an amino acid residue, wherein:
• (i) X1 is the amino acid W or (ii) X1 is any amino acid residue except W,
• X2 is the amino acid S or (ii) X2 is any amino acid residue except S,
• X3 is the amino acid N or (ii) X3 is any amino acid residue except N,
• X4 is the amino acid S or (ii) X4 is any amino acid residue except S,
• with the proviso that
• three out of the four amino acid residues X1, X2, X3 and X4 are an amino acid as defined in (i), and
• the remaining amino acid residue is any amino acid residue except the amino acid residue as defined in (i),
• and wherein the antigenic peptide is not the peptide of SEQ ID No 16.

A method of diagnosing, prognosing or monitoring an HIV infection in a patient in need thereof, comprising:

• a) contacting a sample from said patient with one or more peptides of Formula I:
• Formula I
• (I)
• [Nt-SEQ ID No 1-Ct]
• Nt-S-X1-X2-X3-K-X4-Ct
• wherein
• Nt comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length,
• Ct comprises a peptide of from 0 to 50 amino acids in length, and each of X1 to X4 is an amino acid residue, wherein:
• (i) X1 is the amino acid W or (ii) X1 is any amino acid residue except W,
• (i) X2 is the amino acid S or (ii) X2 is any amino acid residue except S, (i) X3 is the amino acid N or (ii) X3 is any amino acid residue except N, (i) X4 is the amino acid S or (ii) X4 is any amino acid residue except S, with the proviso that
• three out of the four amino acid residues X1, X2, X3 and X4 are an amino acid as defined in (i), and
• the remaining amino acid residue is any amino acid residue except the amino acid residue as defined in (i),
• and wherein the antigenic peptide is not the peptide of SEQ ID No 16;
• and b) detecting and/or quantifying the formation of complexes between said peptides of formula (I) and antibodies present in said sample.