Pharmaceutical composition comprising an antigen

Abstract

The inventions discloses a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antigen, an immunostimulating substance selected from neuroactive compounds, hormones, compounds having a growth hormone activity, and mixtures thereof, and a polycationic polymer.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
     
     
         16 . A composition comprising: 
 an isolated HCV antigen comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID. NO. 1, SEQ. ID. NO. 2, SEQ. ID. NO. 3, SEQ. ID. NO. 4, SEQ. ID. NO. 5, SEQ. ID. NO. 6, SEQ. ID. NO. 7, SEQ. ID. NO. 8, SEQ. ID. NO. 9, SEQ. ID. NO. 10, SEQ. ID. NO. 11, SEQ. ID. NO. 12, SEQ. ID. NO. 13, SEQ. ID. NO. 14; SEQ. ID. NO. 17, SEQ. ID. NO. 18, SEQ. ID. NO. 19, SEQ. ID. NO. 20, NS3 1585-1593, NS3 1585-1594, NS4 1666-1675, NS4 1769-1777, NS4 1773-1783, NS4 1787-1795, NS4 1789-1797, NS4 1789-1798, NS4 1807-1816, NS4 1809-1817, NS4 1811-1820, and a CD4 or CD8 epitope with at least 6 amino acid long fragments of said antigens, and a polycationic compound.    
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the polycationic compound is a basic polypeptide, an organic polycation, or a basic polyaminoacid, or a mixture of such compounds.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the polycationic compound comprises polylysine, polyarginine, a polypeptide of more than 8 amino acids containing more than 50% basic amino acid residues, or a mixture of such compounds.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the polycationic compound comprises a polypeptide of more than 20 amino acids containing more than 50% basic amino acid residues.  
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the polycationic compound is polyarginine.  
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the polycationic compound is polylysine.  
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the polycationic compound is derived from the REV-protein or the TAT-protein of HIV, chitosan or other chitin derivatives.  
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 16 , further defined as a pharmaceutical composition.  
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 16 , further defined as a vaccine.  
     
     
         25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the composition is comprised in a kit.  
     
     
         27 . A method of treating or preventing HCV infection in a subject, comprising administering the composition of claim  1  to the subject.  
     
     
         28 . A method of inducing an immune response in a subject, comprising administering the composition of claim  1  to the subject.