Stabilized HBc chimer particles as immunogens for chronic hepatitis

US7351413B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lorantis, Limited · GB

Inventors

• Mark Page · Ceres, AU
• Martin Friede · Nyon, CH
• Annette Schmidt · Cologne, DE
• Detlef Stober · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 1, 2003
• Grant date: Apr 1, 2008
• Expiry date: May 6, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02A50/30
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of treating chronic hepatitis B is disclosed that comprises administering a T cell-stimulating amount of a vaccine to a patient. The vaccine comprises an immunogenic amount of chimeric, carboxy-terminal truncated hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid (core) protein (HBc) that is engineered for both enhanced stability of self-assembled particles and the substantial absence of nucleic acid binding by those particles. The chimeric protein molecule can include one or more immunogenic epitopes peptide-bonded to one or more of the N-terminus, the immunogenic loop or the C-terminus of HBc. The enhanced stability of self-assembled particles is obtained by the presence of at least one heterologous cysteine residue near one or both of the amino-terminus and carboxy-terminus of the chimer molecule.