US 7,598,362 B2
	Hepatitis C virus vaccine
Emilio A. Emini, Wayne, Pa. (US); David C. Kaslow, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (US); Andrew J. Bett, Lansdale, Pa. (US); John W. Shiver, Chalfont, Pa. (US); Alfredo Nicosia, Rome (Italy); Armin Lahm, Rome (Italy); Alessandra Luzzago, Rome (Italy); Riccardo Cortese, Rome (Italy); and Stefano Colloca, Rome (Italy)
Assigned to Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J. (US); and Istituto Di Ricerche Di Biologia Molecolare P. Angeletti S.p.A., Rome (Italy)
Appl. No. 10/492,178 PCT Filed Oct. 10, 2002, PCT No. PCT/US02/32512 § 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Apr. 07, 2004, PCT Pub. No. WO03/031588, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 17, 2003.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/363774, filed on Mar. 13, 2002.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/328655, filed on Oct. 11, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2004/0247615 A1, Dec. 09, 2004
Int. Cl. C07H 21/04 (2006.01); C12N 7/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 536—23.1  [536/23.4; 424/218.1]

50 Claims

1. A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a Met-NS3-NS4A-NS4B-NS5A-NS5B polypeptide substantially similar to SEQ ID NO: 1, provided that said polypeptide has sufficient protease activity to process itself to produce an NS5B protein and said NS5B protein is enzymatically inactive, wherein said polypeptide consists of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a sequence substantially similar to SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein said sequence substantially similar to SEQ ID NO: 1 differs from SEQ ID NO: 1 by 1-20 amino acids and maintains all T-cell antigen regions present in SEQ ID NO: 1.