Sequences of hepatitis C virus genotypes and their use as therapeutic and diagnostic agents

• US 7,195,765 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2001
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innogenetics NV (H.U. Group Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Innogenetics NV (H.U. Group Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maertens, Geert, Stuyver, Lieven
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPELL, BRUCE R
• Application Number:
  US09/899,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20030008274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 435/5, 435/235.1, 530/388.3, 530/389.4, 530/387.3
• US Class Current: 424/161.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/00 Medicinal preparations containing peptides peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 39/00 Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies materials for immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/16 for liver or gallbladder disorders, e.g. hepatoprotective agents, cholagogues, litholytics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/12 Antivirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/14 for RNA viruses
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/20 for DNA viruses
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/005 from viruses
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2770/24222 New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

The present invention relates to a polynucleic acid composition comprising or consisting of at least one polynucleic acid containing 8 or more contiguous nucleotides corresponding to a nucleotide sequence from the region spanning positions 417 to 957 of the Core/E1 region of HCV type 3; and/or the region spanning positions 4664 to 4730 of the NS3 region of HCV type 3; and/or the region spanning positions 4892 to 5292 of the NS3/4 region of HCV type 3; and/or the region spanning positions 8 023 to 8 235 of the NS5 region of the BR36 subgroup of HCV type 3a; and/or the coding region of HCV type 4a starting at nucleotide 379 in the core region; and/or the coding region of HCV type 4; and/or the coding region of HCV type 5, with said nucleotide numbering being with respect to the numbering of HCV nucleic acids as shown in Table 1, and with said polynucleic acids containing at least one nucleotide difference with known HCV type 1, and/or HCV type 2 genomes in the above-indicated regions, or the complement thereof.

Claims

1. An isolated HCV antibody which specifically binds to a type 3a HCV antigen

consisting of 5 or more contiguous amino acids selected from the region spanning positions 140 to 191 of the Core region of HCV type 3a,

wherein the antigen contains at least one HCV genotype 3 a-specific amino acid.

2. The HCV antibody according to claim 1 wherein said

region spanning positions 140 to 191 of the Core region of HCV type 3a is any one of SEQ ID NOs:

14, 16, 18, 20, and 24.

3. The HCV antibody according to claim 1 which has been produced upon immunization of a mammal with said antigen.

4. The HCV antibody according to claim 1 which is a monoclonal antibody.

5. A humanized version of an HCV antibody according to claim 4.

6. The humanized version of an HCV antibody according to claim 5 which has been humanized by means of recombinant DNA technology.

7. The HCV antibody according to claim 1 which further comprising a label.

8. The HCV antibody according to claim 7 wherein said label is of the enzymatic, fluorescent or radioactive type.

9. A composition comprising an HCV antibody according to claim 1.

10. A kit for determining the presence of HCV antigens present in a biological sample, said kit comprising:

(a) at least one HCV antibody according to claim 1,

(b) a buffer enabling the binding reaction between an HCV antibody of (a) and an HCV antigen present in said biological sample;

or components necessary for producing said buffer,

(c) a means for detecting the immune complexes formed between an HCV antibody of (a) and an HCV antigen present in said biological sample.

11. A kit for determining the presence of HCV antigens present in a biological sample, said kit comprising at least one HCV antibody according to claim 1.

12. A method for determining the presence of HCV antigens present in a biological sample, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) contacting said biological sample with at least one HCV antibody according to claim 1

(b) detecting the immune complexes formed in (a),

(c) inferring from (b) the presence of said HCV antigens in said biological sample.