VACCINES AGAINST INFLUENZA VIRUS

摘要

Disclosed are immunogenic conjugates having the general formula:;M2e-Cys-S—CH2—C(O)—NH—CH2—CH2-C(O—)NH-Lys-Pr,;were M2e is the influenza M2 ectodomain (M2e) peptide; Cys is a cysteine amino acid residue present in the M2e peptide; S the sulfur present in the cysteine amino acid residue; CH2-CO—NH—CH2-CH2-CO the linking group; NH the amine group present in a lysine residue of the carrier; Lys is a lysine amino acid residue and Pr the carrier protein. Also disclosed are isolated immunogens that include an immunogenic fragment of an influenza HA protein including the polybasic cleavage site, wherein the immunogenic fragment of the influenza HA protein has been modified to remove an N-terminal leader amino acid sequence and a C-terminal transmembrane domain. Also disclosed are methods producing an influenza vaccine specific for an identified influenza strain.

主权项

1. A method of treating and/or inhibiting an influenza infection in a subject, comprising:
selecting a subject for treatment that has, or is at risk for developing, an influenza infection; and administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of an immunogenic conjugate comprising an influenza M2 ectodomain (M2e) peptide covalently linked to a carrier by a thioether linkage between a lysine amino acid residue present in carrier and a cysteine amino acid residue introduced at the C-terminal end of the M2e peptide, thereby treating and/or inhibiting the influenza infection in a subject.