Packaging of immunostimulatory oligonucleotides into virus-like particles: method of preparation and use
First Claim
1. A composition comprising:
- (a) a virus-like particle; and
(b) at least one immunostimulatory substance;
wherein said immunostimulatory substance is packaged into said virus-like particle, and wherein said immunostimulatory substance is an unmethylated CpG-containing oligonucleotide, wherein the CpG motif of said unmethylated CpG-containing oligonucleotide is part of a palindromic sequence, and wherein said palindromic sequence is flanked at its 3′
-terminus and at its 5′
-terminus by less than 10 guanosine entities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to the finding that virus like particles (VLPs) can be loaded with immunostimulatory substances, in particular with DNA oligonucleotides containing non-methylated C and G (CpGs). Such CpG-VLPs are dramatically more immunogenic than their CpG-free counterparts and induce enhanced B and T cell responses. The immune response against antigens optionally coupled, fused or attached otherwise to the VLPs is similarly enhanced as the immune response against the VLP itself. In addition, the T cell responses against both the VLPs and antigens are especially directed to the Th1 type. Antigens attached to CpG-loaded VLPs may therefore be ideal vaccines for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination against allergies, tumors and other self-molecules and chronic viral diseases.
100 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A composition comprising:
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(a) a virus-like particle; and (b) at least one immunostimulatory substance; wherein said immunostimulatory substance is packaged into said virus-like particle, and wherein said immunostimulatory substance is an unmethylated CpG-containing oligonucleotide, wherein the CpG motif of said unmethylated CpG-containing oligonucleotide is part of a palindromic sequence, and wherein said palindromic sequence is flanked at its 3′
-terminus and at its 5′
-terminus by less than 10 guanosine entities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification