Papilloma virus capsomere vaccine formulations and methods of use

Abstract

Vaccine formulations comprising viral capsomeres are disclosed along with methods for their production. Therapeutic and prophylactic methods of use for the vaccine formulations are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fusion protein comprising: 
 an amino acid sequence from a first papilloma-virus specific (PVS) protein; and    an amino acid sequence from a second PVS protein,    wherein said fusion protein comprises only PVS protein amino acid sequences.    
     
     
         2 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising amino acid sequences from more than two PVS proteins.  
     
     
         3 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the amino acid sequences from a PVS protein comprises at least one deletion from the naturally-occurring PVS protein sequence.  
     
     
         4 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said first PVS protein is a L protein or E protein.  
     
     
         5 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the L protein is L1.  
     
     
         6 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the E protein is E7 protein.  
     
     
         7 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first PVS protein is a L protein, and the second PVS protein is an E protein.  
     
     
         8 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein said L protein is L1 and said E protein is E7.  
     
     
         9 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the PVS proteins are human PVS proteins.  
     
     
         10 . A fusion protein in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein said amino acid sequence from said L1 protein does not contain the 34 amino acid sequence of the carboxy terminus.  
     
     
         11 . A nucleic acid sequence encoding the fusion protein of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . A nucleic acid sequence in accordance with  claim 11  that is a DNA.  
     
     
         13 . A therapeutic composition comprising the fusion protein of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . A prophylactic vaccine formulation comprising the fusion protein of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . A method of making the fusion protein of  claim 1 , comprising recombinant expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding said fusion protein, and substantially isolating said fusion protein.  
     
     
         16 . A therapeutic method of treating an animal having a papilloma virus infection, comprising administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising the fusion protein of  claim 1  in an amount and for a period of time sufficient to reduce the level of papilloma virus infection.  
     
     
         17 . A therapeutic method in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the animal is a human and the PVS proteins are human PVS proteins.  
     
     
         18 . A prophylactic method of inhibiting a papilloma virus infection in an animal, comprising administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising the fusion protein of  claim 1  in an amount and for a period of time sufficient to effectively inhibit papilloma virus infection.  
     
     
         19 . A therapeutic method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the animal is a human and the PVS proteins are human PVS proteins.