Influenza vaccine
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to influenza vaccines for human and veterinary use. In particular, the present invention provides a vaccine able to effect long term and cross-strain protection by including at least two influenza virus epitopes expressed as a chimeric polypeptide wherein at least one epitope is influenza A virus matrix protein epitope and the second epitope is a haemagglutinin peptide epitope.
1. A vaccine for immunization of a subject comprising:
(i) two influenza virus peptide epitopes wherein the first peptide epitope is an influenza A virus matrix (M) peptide epitope selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS: 25 and 26, and a second peptide epitope is a haemagglutinin (HA) peptide epitope as set forth in SEQ ID NO:48, and
(ii) one influenza B peptide epitope of a HA 354-372 peptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:80,
wherein the vaccine elicits cross strain protection.
2. The vaccine according to claim 1 , wherein the M peptide epitope is an M1 peptide epitope as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 26.
3. The vaccine according to claim 1 , wherein:
(i) the M peptide epitope is the M1 2-12 (SEQ ID NO:25) peptide epitope; and
(ii) the HA peptide epitope is HA 91-108 (SEQ ID NO:48).
4. The vaccine according to claim 3 , further comprising a CTL type NP peptide epitope as set forth in NP 335-350 (SEQ ID NO:67).
5. The vaccine according to claim 1 , further comprising an influenza T helper (Th) type peptide epitope as set forth in HA 307-319 (SEQ ID NO:57).
6. The vaccine according to claim 1 , wherein:
(i) the M peptide epitope is an influenza A virus M peptide epitope as set forth in M1 2-12 (SEQ ID NO:25);
(ii) the HA peptide epitope is a HA 91-108 (SEQ ID NO:48) peptide epitope, with the vaccine further comprising:
(iii) a Th type peptide epitope as set forth in HA 307-319 (SEQ ID NO:57).
7. The vaccine according to claim 1 , further comprising a CTL type NP peptide epitope as set forth in NP 335-350 (SEQ ID NO:67).
8. The vaccine according to claim 1 , further comprising an adjuvant or an excipient.
9. The vaccine according to claim 1 , wherein each of the epitopes is expressed individually within an expression vector.
10. The vaccine according to claim 9 , wherein each of the epitopes is expressed individually within a recombinant flagellin.
11. The vaccine according to claim 1 , wherein each of the epitopes is expressed with a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of Cholera toxin, Tetanus toxin, Ovalbumin, Tuberculosis heat shock protein, Diphtheria Toxoid, Protein G from respiratory syncytial virus, Outer Membrane Protein from Neisseria meningitides , nucleoprotein (N) of vesicular stomatitis virus, glycoprotein (G) of vesicular stomatitis virus, Plasmodium falciparum Antigen Glutamate-Rich Protein, Merozoite Surface Protein 3 or Viruses envelope (E) protein.
12. The vaccine according to claim 1 , which is formulated for administration by a modality selected from the group consisting of intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, intranasal, intramuscular, oral, topical and transdermal delivery.
13. A vaccine for immunization of a subject comprises:
(i) an influenza A virus matrix (M) peptide epitope as set forth in M1 2-12 (SEQ ID NO:25);
(ii) HA 91-108 (SEQ ID NO:48);
(iii) HA 307-319 (SEQ ID NO:57);
(iv) NP 335-350 (SEQ ID NO:67); and
(v) influenza B peptide epitope HA 354-372 (SEQ ID NO:80),
wherein the vaccine elicits cross strain protection.
14. A method for eliciting an immune response and conferring protection against influenza virus in a subject, wherein the method comprises administering to the subject a vaccine according to claim 1 to elicit an immune response and confer protection against influenza virus.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the immune response is elicited against avian influenza, influenza A, influenza B or a combination thereof.