FUNCTIONAL INFLUENZA VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES (VLPS)

摘要

Recombinant influenza virus proteins, including influenza capsomers, subviral particles, virus-like particles (VLP), VLP complexes, and/or any portions of thereof, are provided as a vaccine for influenza viruses. The invention is based on the combination of two vaccine technologies: (1) intrinsically safe recombinant vaccine technology, and (2) highly immunogenic, self-assembled protein macromolecules embedded in plasma membranes and comprised of multiple copies of influenza virus structural proteins exhibiting neutralizing epitopes in native conformations. More specifically, this invention relates to the design and production of functional homotypic and heterotypic recombinant influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) comprised of recombinant structural proteins of human influenza virus type A/Sydney/5/94 (H3N2) and/or avian influenza virus type A/Hong Kong/1073/99 (H9N2) in baculovirus-infected insect cells and their application as a vaccine in the prevention of influenza infections and as a laboratory reagent for virus structural studies and clinical diagnostics.

主权项

1. A method of preventing influenza in a vertebrate comprising administering a vaccine to the vertebrate, wherein the vaccine comprises:
i) a virus-like particle (VLP) comprising influenza structural proteins, wherein the influenza structural proteins of the VLP consist of M1, HA, and NA, wherein the VLP is self-assembled in a host cell from a recombinant construct wherein the M1 protein is from an avian influenza virus, and wherein the M1 protein is from a different strain of influenza virus than the influenza HA protein and the influenza NA protein; and ii) a carrier or diluent.