Nucleic acid construct for expressing active substances which can be activated by proteases, and preparation and use

US6080575A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hoechst GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Hans Heinrich Heidtmann · Meiningen, DE
• Rolf Mueller · Ingolstadt, DE
• Hans-Harald Sedlacek · Marburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 16, 1998
• Grant date: Jun 27, 2000
• Expiry date: Jan 16, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2840/20
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a nucleic acid construct for expressing an active substance which is activated by an enzyme which is released from mammalian cells, which construct comprises the following components: a) at least one promoter element, b) at least one DNA sequence which encodes an active compound (protein B) c) a least one DNA sequence which encodes an amino acid sequence (part structure C) which can be cleaved specifically by an enzyme which is released from a mammalian cell, and d) at least one DNA sequence which encodes a peptide or protein (part structure D) which is bound to the active compound (protein B) by way of the cleavable amino acid sequence (part structure C) and inhibits the activity of the active compound (protein B), and also to the use of the nucleic acid construct for preparing a drug for treating diseases.