Method of Treating and Preventing Infectious Diseases via Creation of a Modified Viral Particle with Immunogenic Properties

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for reducing the occurrence and severity of infectious diseases, especially infectious diseases in which lipid-containing infectious organisms are found in biological fluids, such as blood. The present invention employs solvents useful for extracting lipids from the lipid-containing infectious organism, thereby reducing the infectivity of the infectious organism. The present invention uses optimal solvent systems such that the lipid envelope around the viral particle is dissolved while the viral particle remains intact, resulting in a modified viral particle. The present invention also provides an autologous vaccine composition, comprising a lipid-containing infectious organism, treated with solvents to reduce the lipid content of the infectious organism, combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The vaccine composition is administered to an animal or a human to provide protection against the lipid-containing infectious organism. The present invention further provides a simple, inexpensive and easy to use kit for delipidating fluids and for delipidation of lipid-containing organisms in a fluid.

1 . A modified viral particle comprising at least a partially delipidated viral particle, wherein the partially delipidated viral particle:
 initiates a positive immune response in an animal or human patient; and,   incites protection against an infectious organism,   
       wherein the modified viral particle is a modified hepatitis virus particle or a modified pestivirus particle. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method for creating a modified viral particle comprising the steps of:
 receiving a plurality of viral particles, each having a viral envelope, in a fluid;   exposing the viral particles to a delipidation process; and,   partially delipidating the viral particles wherein the delipidation process at least partially removes the viral envelopes to create the modified viral particle and wherein the modified viral particle is capable of provoking a positive immune response in a patient.   
     
     
         4 . The modified viral particle of  claim 3  wherein the viral particle is immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis or pestivirus. 
     
     
         5 . A method for creating an antigen delivery vehicle comprising the steps of:
 receiving a plurality of viral particles, each having a viral envelope, in a fluid;   exposing the viral particles to a delipidation process; and,   partially delipidating the viral particles to create modified viral particles that act as antigen delivery vehicles, wherein the delipidation process at least partially removes the viral envelopes to expose at least one antigen and wherein the at least one antigen is capable of provoking a positive immune response in a patient.   
     
     
         6 . The antigen delivery vehicle of  claim 5  wherein the modified viral particle comprises patient specific antigens. 
     
     
         7 . A modified viral particle comprising at least a partially delipidated viral particle, wherein the partially delipidated viral particle is produced by exposing a non-delipidated viral particle to a delipidation process and wherein the partially delipidated viral particle comprises at least one exposed patient specific antigen that was not exposed in the non-delipidated viral particle. 
     
     
         8 . A vaccine composition, comprising at least a partially delipidated viral particle having patient-specific antigens and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the partially delipidated viral particle is capable of provoking a positive immune response when administered to a patient. 
     
     
         9 . A method of providing protection in an animal or a human against an infectious viral particle comprising the step of:
 administering to the animal or the human an effective amount of a composition comprising a modified viral particle, wherein the modification comprises at least partial removal of a lipid envelope of the infectious viral particle, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the amount is effective to provide a protective effect against infection by the infectious viral particle in the animal or the human.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the protection is via an autologous process. 
     
     
         11 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for making a vaccine comprising:
 contacting a lipid-containing viral particle in a fluid with a first organic solvent capable of extracting lipid from the lipid-containing viral particle;   mixing the fluid and the first organic solvent for a time sufficient to extract lipid from the lipid-containing viral particle;   permitting organic and aqueous phases to separate; and   collecting the aqueous phase containing a modified viral particle with reduced lipid content wherein the modified viral particle is capable of provoking a positive immune response when administered to a patient.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 contacting the aqueous phase with a de-emulsifying agent capable of removing the first organic solvent; and,   separating the de-emulsifying agent and the removed first organic solvent from the contacted aqueous phase.   
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first organic solvent is an alcohol, an ether, an amine, a hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first organic solvent is an alcohol, an ether, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the ether is C4 to C8 ether and the alcohol is a C1 to C8 alcohol. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the de-emulsifying agent is an ether. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid is plasma, serum, peritoneal fluid, lymphatic fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, or a fluid of the reproductive system. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first organic solvent is an alcohol, an ether, an amine, a hydrocarbon, an ester, a surfactant or a combination thereof.