Surface Receptor Antigen Vaccines

Introduction The invention relates to DNA vaccines, or vaccines containing molecules encoded by such DNA, for the induction of specific, sustained high titer antibody responses. More specifically, the invention is directed to DNA vaccines that comprise recombinant expression constructs encoding a cell surface receptor antigen (SRA) and one or more immune response altering molecules. Vaccines are provided that include a gene encoding a desired cell surface antigen receptor (or the expressed product) and one or more genes encoding immune response altering molecules (or the expressed products). Technology description In one embodiment, the invention provides a vaccine for eliciting or enhancing the titer of antibodies specific for a cell surface receptor antigen, comprising a first recombinant expression construct containing at least one promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cell surface receptor antigen; and a second recombinant expression construct containing at least one promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a first immune response altering molecule and a nucleic acid sequence encoding a second immune response altering molecule, wherein the first and second immune response altering molecules are different from each other and are an accessory cell agent and a T cell agent. In a further embodiment, the vaccine for eliciting or enhancing the titer of antibodies specific for a cell surface receptor antigen comprises the expression products of such recombinant expression constructs. In particularly preferred embodiments, the SRA is a cell surface molecule of known structure and having a known or described function, including but not limited to SRA having any of the receptor activities described in references cited for the following cell surface receptors: HER1, HER2, HER3, HER 4, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial cell growth factor, vascular endothelial cell growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor-II, transferrin receptor, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSH-R), retinoic acid receptor, MUC-1, NY-ESO-1, NA 17-A, Melan-A/MART-1, tyrosinase, Gp-100, MAGE, BAGE, GAGE, any of the CTA class of receptors including in particular HOM-MEL-40 antigen encoded by the SSX2 gene, carcinoembyonic antigen, and PyLT. Business opportunity This technology may be used to develop cancer vaccines for both prophylactic and therapeutic applications. Intellectual property position

Type of Offer: Licensing



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