Two-phase system for the production and presentation of foreign antigens in hybrid live vaccines

US6255097A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Föderung der Wissenschaften e.V. · US

Inventors

• Thomas F. Meyer · Tübingen, DE
• Johannes Pohlner · Tübingen, DE
• Frank Reuss · Alzenau, DE
• Zhengxin Yan · Tübingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 22, 1993
• Grant date: Jul 3, 2001
• Expiry date: Nov 22, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61K2039/5256
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a genetic engineering process for the optimal production and exposure to the immune system of additional antigen coded for by a live vaccine. The genetic engineering process is based on the use of spontaneous DNA reorganisation in the recombinant live vaccine, such that the recombinant live vaccine spontaneously divides into two subpopulations (A and B), whereby subpopulation A is capable of infecting and acts immunogenically per se as a minimum characteristic and subpopulation B as a minimum characteristic is regenerated by subpopulation A, produces additional antigen and acts immunogenically with respect to said additional antigen. The formation of two subpopulations of the live vaccine ensures, on the one hand, that the infection process necessary for the induction of an immune response takes place and, on the other hand, that the formation of additional antigen by a hybrid live vaccine does not disturb the infection process in order to finally achieve an effective immune response to the additional antigen and the pathogen cross-reacting therewith.