Peptide mixture
There is disclosed a peptide mixture suitable for eliciting an immune response. It comprises a first and a second peptide, each corresponding to a fragment of the RAS protein. Each of the first and second peptides comprises a region of at least 8 amino acids which includes position 13 of the RAS protein. Each of said regions of the first and second peptides independently has at least 6 amino acid residues, other than at said position 13, which are identical to the corresponding region of the RAS protein. Each of the first and the second peptides has a point mutation at the amino acid corresponding to said position 13. The point mutation of the first peptide is different from the point mutation of the second peptide.
1. A method of stimulating the immune system in a patient with cancer, wherein the cancer is associated with RAS protein amino acid substitutions, said method comprising:
i) identifying RAS protein amino acid substitutions in a patient;
ii) selecting a peptide mixture suitable for eliciting an immune response in a human or animal subject, wherein the peptide mixture comprises a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptide, each corresponding to a fragment of the RAS protein,
wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptides are:
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25, and
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 26,
and wherein each of the peptides comprises no more than 30 amino acids; and
iii) administering the peptide mixture to the patient in order to elicit an immune response.
2. A method of stimulating the immune system in a patient with cancer, wherein the cancer is associated with RAS protein amino acid substitutions, said method comprising:
i) identifying RAS protein amino acid substitutions in a patient;
ii) selecting a pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide mixture and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent and/or excipient, wherein the peptide mixture is suitable for eliciting an immune response in a human or animal subject, wherein the peptide mixture comprises a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptide, each corresponding to a fragment of the RAS protein,
wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptides are peptides according to claim 1 ; and
iii) administering the pharmaceutical composition to the patient in order to elicit an immune response.
3. A method of stimulating the immune system in a human or animal subject with cancer, wherein the cancer is associated with RAS protein amino acid substitutions, the method comprising administering to the subject a peptide mixture suitable for eliciting an immune response in a human or animal subject, wherein the peptide mixture comprises a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptide, each corresponding to a fragment of the RAS protein, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptides are:
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ 1 NO: 19,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ 1 NO: 20,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 21,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24,
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25, and
a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 26,
and wherein each of the peptides comprises no more than 30 amino acids, in order to elicit an immune response in the subject.
4. A method of stimulating the immune system in a human or animal subject with cancer, wherein the cancer is associated with RAS protein amino acid substitutions, the method comprising administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide mixture and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent and/or excipient, wherein the peptide mixture is suitable for eliciting an immune response in a human or animal subject, wherein the peptide mixture comprises a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptide, each corresponding to a fragment of the RAS protein,
wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth peptides are peptides according to claim 3 in order to elicit an immune response.