AADC polynucleotides for the treatment of parkinson's disease

1. An adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector genome comprising, in order:

a) a 5′ inverted terminal repeat (ITR), wherein said 5′ ITR is 141 nucleotides in length;

b) a cytomegalovirus (CMV) sequence region comprising from 5′ to 3′ a CMV enhancer or a fragment thereof of at least 250 nucleotides, and a CMV promoter or a fragment thereof of at least 150 nucleotides, wherein said CMV sequence region is at least 500 nucleotides;

c) an immediate early 1 (IE1) sequence region comprising IE1 exon1 or a fragment thereof of at least 50 nucleotides, and IE1 intron 1 or a fragment thereof of at least 20 nucleotides;

d) a human beta globin (HB) sequence region comprising HB intron 2 or a fragment thereof of at least 250 nucleotides, and HB exon 3 or a fragment thereof of at least 40 nucleotides;

e) an Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) sequence region, said AADC sequence region comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding SEQ ID NO: 1;

f) a poly(A) signal sequence region comprising a human growth hormone (hGH) poly(A) signal or a fragment thereof of at least 200 nucleotides; and

g) a 3′ ITR, wherein said 3′ ITR is 141 nucleotides in length;

wherein the AAV vector genome comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 17 and variants having at least 95% identity thereto.

2. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the 5′ ITR and the 3′ ITR are derived from AAV2.

3. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the CMV sequence region is 507 nucleotides in length.

4. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the IE1 sequence region is 166 nucleotides in length.

5. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the HB sequence region is about 400 nucleotides in length.

6. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the poly(A) signal sequence region is 477 nucleotides in length.

7. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the CMV sequence region is 507 nucleotides in length, the IE1 sequence region is 166 nucleotides in length, the HB sequence region is 400 nucleotides in length, and the poly(A) signal region is 477 nucleotides in length.

8. A recombinant AAV virus comprising the AAV vector genome of claim 1 .

9. The recombinant AAV virus of claim 8 , comprising a capsid serotype selected from the group consisting of AAV2, AAV1, AAV3, AAV4, AAV5, AAV6, AAV7, AAV8, AAV9, AAV9.47, AAV9(hu14), AAV10, AAV11, AAV12, AAVrh8, AAVrh10, AAV-DJ, and AAV-DJ8.

10. The recombinant AAV virus of claim 9 , wherein the capsid serotype is AAV2.

11. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the recombinant AAV virus of claim 9 .

12. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 11 , wherein at least 70% of the recombinant AAV vectors in the pharmaceutical composition contain an AAV vector genome.

13. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the 5′ ITR consists of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of nucleotides 1-141 of SEQ ID NO: 17 and variants having at least 95% identity thereto.

14. The AAV vector genome of claim 1 , wherein the 3′ ITR consists of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of nucleotides 3357-3497 of SEQ ID NO: 17 and variants having at least 95% identity thereto.