Pharmaceutical Composition Comprising An Antigen

Abstract

The invention relates to immunogenic compositions. In certain embodiments, the invention provides pharmaceutical compositions 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 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising:
 an isolated HCV antigen comprising a sequence of at least 6 amino acids of a 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, and   a polycationic compound.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polycationic compound is a basic polypeptide, an organic polycation, or a basic polyaminoacid, or a mixture of such compounds. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the polycationic compound comprises a polypeptide of more than 20 amino acids containing more than 50% basic amino acid residues. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the polycationic compound is polyarginine. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the polycationic compound is polylysine. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polycationic compound is an HIV REV-protein, and HIV TAT-protein, or chitosan. 
     
     
         8 . A method of inducing an immune response against HCV in a subject, comprising administering the composition of  claim 1  to the subject.