Influenza virus-like particles (VLPS) comprising hemagglutinin produced within a plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9452210-B2
Application number	US-201313734886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2013
Priority date	Jul 13, 2007
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A method for synthesizing influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) within a plant or a portion of a plant is provided. The method involves expression of influenza HA in plants and the purification by size exclusion chromatography. The invention is also directed towards a VLP comprising influenza HA protein and plant lipids. The invention is also directed to a nucleic acid encoding influenza HA as well as vectors. The VLPs may be used to formulate influenza vaccines, or may be used to enrich existing vaccines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing influenza virus like particles (VLPs) in a plant, the VLPs comprising protein, wherein the protein consists of influenza hemagglutinin (HA), comprising:
a) introducing a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the hemagglutinin (HA) operatively linked to a regulatory region active in the plant into the plant, or portion thereof,
b) incubating the plant under conditions that permit the expression of the nucleic acid, thereby producing the VLPs comprising protein, wherein the protein consists of influenza hemagglutinin (HA),
c) harvesting the plant, and
d) purifying the VLPs, wherein the VLPs range in size from 80-300 nm.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HA is selected from the group of H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H7, H8, H9, H10, H11, H12, H13, H14, H15, and H16.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein in the step of introducing (step a), the nucleic acid is transiently expressed in the plant.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, in the step of introducing (step a), the nucleic acid is stably expressed in the plant.

5. A virus like particle (VLP) produced by the method of claim 1 , wherein the VLP further comprises one or more than one lipid derived from a plant.

6. The VLP of claim 5 , wherein the HA is H5 Indonesia.

7. A composition comprising an effective dose of the VLP of claim 5 for inducing an immune response, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

8. A VLP produced by the method of claim 1 , wherein the HA comprises plant-specific N-glycans, or modified N-glycans.

9. The VLP of claim 5 , for use in inducing immunity to an influenza virus infection in a subject.

10. The VLP of claim 9 , wherein the VLP is suitable for oral, intradermal, intranasal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration.

11. A composition comprising an effective dose of the VLP of claim 8 for inducing an immune response and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

12. The composition of claim 11 for use in inducing immunity to an influenza virus infection in a subject.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition is suitable for oral, intradermal, intranasal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration.

14. A food supplement comprising the VLP of claim 5 .

15. A virus like particle (VLP) produced by the method of claim 2 , wherein the VLP further comprises one or more than one lipid derived from a plant.

16. A composition comprising an effective dose of the VLP of claim 15 for inducing an immune response, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

17. A VLP produced by the method of claim 2 , wherein the HA comprises plant-specific N-glycans, or modified N-glycans.

18. The VLP of claim 17 , for use in inducing immunity to an influenza virus infection in a subject.

19. The VLP of claim 17 , wherein the VLP is suitable for oral, intradermal, intranasal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration.

Assignees

• Medicago Inc

Inventors

• D'Aoust Marc-Andre
• Couture Manon
• Ors Frederic
• Trépanier Sonia
• Lavoie Pierre-Olivier
• Dargis Michele
• VéZINA LOUIS-PHILIPPE
• Landry Nathalie

Classifications

• A61P37/04

  Immunostimulants · CPC title

• A61P31/00

  Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics · CPC title

• A61P37/00

  Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders · CPC title

• A61P31/16

  for influenza or rhinoviruses · CPC title

• A61K2039/543

  intranasal · CPC title