Treatment of diseases related to hepatitis B virus
The invention provides novel immunogenic peptides derived from the X protein and polymerase protein of hepatitis B virus (HBV). The peptides contain epitopes that are well-conserved across multiple HBV variants and are derived from regions of proteins that are essential for viral replication. Moreover, the novel HBV antigens bind multiple HLA types and epitopes that elicit IFNγ responses in PBMCs from HBV resolvers have been identified.
1 . An immunogenic composition comprising:
a peptide comprising a fragment of an HBV protein, wherein said fragment is no more than 34 amino acids in length and wherein said fragment comprises or consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO:31 (SLP1), SEQ ID NO:32 (SLP2), SEQ ID NO:34 (SLP4) and SEQ ID NO:35 (SLP5),
a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.
2 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an adjuvant.
3 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 2 , wherein the adjuvant is an immune potentiating adjuvant.
4 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide consists of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:31 (SLP1).
5 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide consists of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 (SLP2).
6 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide consists of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:34 (SLP4).
7 . The immunogenic composition according to claim 1 , wherein the peptide consists of the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:35 (SLP5).