Factor VII polypeptides that are modified and uses thereof

1. A nucleic acid molecule encoding a modified factor VII (FVII) polypeptide that comprises amino acid replacements at positions corresponding to positions 286 and 298 in a FVII polypeptide having the sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, wherein:

the amino acid replacement at position 286 is Arg (R), and the amino acid replacement at position 298 is Gln (Q);

the modified FVII polypeptide, when in an activated form, exhibits procoagulant activity; and

the amino acid sequence of the modified FVII polypeptide has at least 90% sequence identity with a polypeptide having the sequence of amino acids set forth in any of SEQ ID NOS:1-3.

2. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the unmodified FVII polypeptide comprises the sequence of amino acids set forth in any of SEQ ID NOS: 1-3.

3. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the unmodified FVII polypeptide comprises the sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3.

4. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the unmodified FVII polypeptide consists of the sequence of amino acids set forth in any of SEQ ID NOS: 1-3.

5. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the unmodified FVII polypeptide consists of the sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3.

6. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the encoded modified FVII polypeptide comprises at least one or more additional amino acid replacement(s) that introduce(s) a glycosylation site or sites.

7. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the encoded modified polypeptide is a FVIIa polypeptide.

8. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the encoded modified FVII polypeptide comprises the sequence of amino acids set forth in any of SEQ ID NOS: 138, 155, 280, 288, 337, 338, 356 and 367.

9. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the encoded modified FVII polypeptide comprises amino acid replacements selected from among replacements corresponding to Q286R/M298Q/Q366N, T128N/P129A/Q286R/M298Q, V158D/Q286R/E296V/M298Q, S222A/H257A/Q286R/M298Q, T128N/P129A/S222A/H257A/Q286R/M298Q, T128N/P129A/Q286R/M298Q/H373F, T128N/P129A/A175S/Q286R/M298Q, A122N/G124S/A175S/Q286R/M298Q, T128N/P129A/Q286R/M298Q/Q366N, V158D/Q286R/E296V/M298Q and T128N/P129A/T239V/Q286R/M298Q.

10. A nucleic acid molecule encoding a modified factor VII (FVII) polypeptide that comprises amino acid replacements at positions corresponding to positions 128, 129, 286 and 298 in a FVII polypeptide having the sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, wherein:

the amino acid replacement at the position corresponding to 128 is Asn (N), position 129 is Ala (A), position 286 is Arg (R), and position 298 is Gln (Q);

the amino acid sequence of the modified FVII polypeptide has at least 90% sequence identity to a polypeptide of any of SEQ ID NOS:1-3, including the replacements at positions corresponding to positions 128, 129, 286 and 298;

the corresponding positions in the modified FVII polypeptide are identified by alignment of the amino acid sequence of the modified FVII polypeptide with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3; and

the modified FVII polypeptide, when in its activated form, exhibits procoagulant activity.

11. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the encoded modified FVII polypeptide has at least 95% sequence identity to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3.

12. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 , wherein the encoded modified factor VII (FVII) polypeptide consists of the sequence of amino acids set forth in SEQ ID NO:280.

13. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 , wherein the encoded modified polypeptide is a FVIIa.

14. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the encoded modified FVII polypeptide has at least 95% sequence identity to a polypeptide of any of SEQ ID NOS: 1-3.

15. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 , wherein the sequence of the unmodified FVII polypeptide consists of the sequence of amino acids set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-3.

16. A vector, comprising the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .

17. The vector of claim 16 , wherein the vector is a prokaryotic vector, viral vector, or a eukaryotic vector.

18. An isolated cell or cell culture, comprising the vector of claim 16 .

19. The cell or cell culture of claim 18 that is a eukaryotic cell or culture of eukaryotic cells.

20. An isolated mammalian cell or cell culture, comprising the vector of claim 16 wherein the mammalian cell is selected from among baby hamster kidney cells (BHK-21), 293 cells and CHO cells.

21. A method of producing a modified FVII polypeptide, comprising:

culturing a cell or cell culture of claim 18 under conditions whereby the encoded FVII polypeptide is expressed; and

optionally isolating the modified FVII polypeptide.

22. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.

23. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the nucleic acid molecule of claim 10 in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.

24. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 that is formulated for oral, nasal, pulmonary, buccal, transdermal, subcutaneous, intraduodenal, enteral, parenteral, intravenous or intramuscular administration.

25. A method of treating a disease or condition in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of claim 22 to the subject, wherein the subject has a disease or condition that is selected from among blood coagulation disorders, hematologic disorders, hemorrhagic disorders, hemophilias, factor VII deficiency and bleeding disorders, and bleeding complications due to surgery or trauma.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the disease or condition to be treated is hemophilia selected from among hemophilia A, hemophilia B and hemophilia C.