Attenuated negative strand viruses with altered interferon antagonist activity for use as vaccines and pharmaceuticals
View Patent ↗The present invention relates, in general, to attenuated negative-strand RNA viruses having an impaired ability to antagonize the cellular interferon (IFN) response, and the use of such attenuated viruses in vaccine and pharmaceutical formulations. The invention also relates to the development and use of IFN-deficient systems for selection of such attenuated viruses. In particular, the invention relates to attenuated influenza viruses having modifications to the NS1 gene that diminish or eliminate the ability of the NS1 gene product to antagonize the cellular IFN response. The mutant viruses replicate in vivo but demonstrate reduced pathogenicity, and therefore are well suited for live virus vaccines, and pharmaceutical formulations.
1. A vaccine formulation comprising a genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus, the genome of which encodes a truncated NS1 protein of between 90 and 100 N-terminal amino acid residues of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain, so that the genetically engineered influenza virus has an impaired interferon antagonist phenotype, and a physiologically acceptable excipient.
2. A vaccine formulation comprising a genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus, the genome of which encodes a truncated NS1 protein of between 100 and 110 N-terminal amino acid residues of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain, so that the genetically engineered influenza virus has an impaired interferon antagonist phenotype, and a physiologically acceptable excipient.
3. A vaccine formulation comprising: (i) a genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus, the genome of which encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 130, amino acid residues 1 to 120, amino acid residues 1 to 110, amino acid residues 1 to 100, amino acid residues 1 to 90, amino acid residues 1 to 89, amino acid residues 1 to 70, or amino acid residues 1 to 60 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain wherein the N-terminal amino acid residue is 1, so that the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus has an impaired interferon antagonist phenotype, and (ii) a physiologically acceptable excipient.
4. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 130 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
5. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 120 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
6. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 110 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
7. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 100 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
8. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 90 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
9. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 89 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
10. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 70 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
11. The vaccine formulation of claim 3 in which the genetically engineered influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 60 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
12. A vaccine formulation comprising a genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus, the genome of which encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 99 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain, so that the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus has an impaired interferon antagonist phenotype, and a physiologically acceptable excipient.
13. The vaccine formulation of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , or 12 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
14. The vaccine formulation of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , or 12 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
15. The vaccine formulation of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , or 12 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in cell culture.
16. The vaccine formulation of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , or 12 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.
17. A vaccine formulation comprising a genetically engineered attenuated chimeric influenza virus, the genome of which encodes a truncated NS1 protein of between 90 and 100, 100 and 110, or 70 and 80 N-terminal amino acid residues of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain and which comprises an influenza virus gene segment encoding a heterologous sequence, wherein the genetically engineered influenza virus has an impaired interferon antagonist phenotype, and a physiologically acceptable excipient.
18. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 , in which the genetically engineered attenuated chimeric influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of between 70 and 80 N-terminal amino acid residues of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
19. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 or 18 , wherein the heterologous sequence is an antigen of an influenza virus strain variant.
20. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 or 18 , wherein the influenza virus gene segment used is the hemagglutinin or neuraminidase gene segment.
21. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 or 18 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
22. The vaccine formulation of claim 19 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
23. The vaccine formulation of claim 20 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
24. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 or 18 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
25. The vaccine formulation of claim 19 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
26. The vaccine formulation of claim 20 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
27. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 or 18 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.
28. The vaccine formulation of claim 19 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.
29. The vaccine formulation of claim 20 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.
30. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 , in which the genetically engineered attenuated chimeric influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of between 90 and 100 N-terminal amino acid residues of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
31. The vaccine formulation of claim 17 , in which the genetically engineered attenuated chimeric influenza virus genome encodes a truncated NS1 protein of between 100 and 110 N-terminal amino acid residues of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain.
32. A vaccine formulation comprising: (i) a genetically engineered attenuated chimeric influenza virus, the genome of which encodes a truncated NS1 protein of amino acid residues 1 to 130, amino acid residues 1 to 120, amino acid residues 1 to 110, amino acid residues 1 to 100, amino acid residues 1 to 90, amino acid residues 1 to 89, amino acid residues 1 to 70, or amino acid residues 1 to 60 of an NS1 protein of the same or a different influenza virus strain wherein the N-terminal amino acid residue is 1, so that the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus has an impaired interferon antagonist phenotype, and which comprises an influenza virus gene segment encoding a heterologous sequence, and (ii) a physiologically acceptable excipient.
33. The vaccine formulation of claim 32 , wherein the heterologous sequence is an antigen of an influenza virus strain variant.
34. The vaccine formulation of claim 32 , wherein the influenza virus gene segment used is the hemagglutinin or neuraminidase gene segment.
35. The vaccine formulation of claim 32 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
36. The vaccine formulation of claim 33 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
37. The vaccine formulation of claim 34 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza A virus.
38. The vaccine formulation of claim 32 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
39. The vaccine formulation of claim 33 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
40. The vaccine formulation of claim 34 , wherein the genetically engineered attenuated influenza virus is an influenza B virus.
41. The vaccine formulation of claim 32 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.
42. The vaccine formulation of claim 33 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.
43. The vaccine formulation of claim 34 , wherein the impaired interferon antagonist phenotype is measured in embryonated eggs.