Vaccination and methods against multiple sclerosis resulting from pathogenic responses by specific T cell populations

US6464978B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Immune Response Corporation, Inc · US

Inventors

• Steven W. Brostoff · Carlsbad, US
• Darcy B. Wilson · Village of La Jolla, US
• Lawrence Smith · Concord, US
• Daniel P. Gold · Del Mar, US
• Dennis J. Carlo · South Amboy, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 29, 1993
• Grant date: Oct 15, 2002
• Expiry date: Apr 29, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2800/285
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides vaccines and a means of vaccinating a mammal so as to prevent or control specific T cell mediated pathologies or to treat the unregulated replication of T cells. The vaccine is composed of a T cell receptor (TCR) or a fragment thereof corresponding to a TCR present on the surface of T cells mediating the pathology. The vaccine fragment can be a peptide corresponding to sequences of TCRs characteristic of the T cells mediating said pathology. The vaccine is administered to the mammal in a manner that induces an immunologically effective response so as to affect the course of the disease. The invention additionally provides specific &bgr;-chain variable regions of the T cell receptor, designated V&bgr;6.2/3, V&bgr;6.5, V&bgr;2, V&bgr;5.1, V&bgr;13 and V&bgr;7, which are central to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS).