Title:  Genetic induction of anti-viral immune response and genetic vaccine for filovirus

United States Patent:  6,200,959

Assignee:  PowerJect Vaccines Inc. (Madison, WI)

Filed:  December 4, 1996

An approach to genetic vaccine methodology is described. A genetic construction encoding antigenic determinants of a filovirus is transfected into cells of the vaccinated individuals using a particle acceleration protocol so as to express the viral antigens in healthy cells to produce an immune response to those antigens.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is summarized in that an animal is vaccinated against a filovirus by a genetic vaccination method that includes the steps of preparing copies of a foreign genetic construction including a promoter operative in cells of the animal and a protein-coding region coding for a glycoprotein produced by the filovirus, and delivering the foreign genetic construction into the epidermis or mucosal tissue of the animal using a particle acceleration device.

The present invention is also summarized in that a genetic vaccine for a filovirus is created by joining a DNA sequence encoding at least a portion of the filovirus glycoprotein to a promoter effective to promote transcription of the DNA sequence in vertebrate cells, to make a genetic vaccine and then delivering the genetic vaccine into cells of an individual by a particle-mediated gene transfer process.

It is an object of the present invention to enable an effective deterrent to filovirus infection.

It is an object of the present invention to enable the induction of a protective immune response in a vaccinated individual to a filovirus through the use of a genetic vaccine.

It is a feature of the present invention in that it is adapted to either epidermal or mucosal delivery of the genetic vaccine or delivery into peripheral blood cells, and thus may be used to induce humoral, cell-mediated, and secretory immune responses in the treated individual.

It is an advantage of the genetic vaccination method of the present invention in that it is inherently safe, is not painful to administer, and should not result in adverse consequences to vaccinated individuals. The invention does not require growth or use of filoviruses, which may be spread by aerosol transmission and are typically fatal.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.

The present invention is summarized in that the construct is coated onto the surface of small carrier particles and delivered into an animal epidermal tissue in a method for immunizing an animal against filovirus infection.

Claim 1 of 11 Claims

We claim:

1. A method of inducing an immune response to a Marburg or Ebola virus glycoprotein in a mammal, said method comprising:

(a) providing a genetic construction comprising a promoter operative in cells of the mammal and a coding region for a determinant of the glycoprotein, the genetic construction not comprising sequences necessary for replication of the virus;

(b) coating copies of the genetic construction onto carrier particles small in size in relation to the size of the cells of the mammal; and

(c) accelerating the coated carrier particles into epidermal cells of the mammal in vivo, thereby inducing an immune response against the glycoprotein.

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