Methods and reagents for vaccination which generate a CD8 T cell immune response

Abstract

New methods and reagents for vaccination are described which generate a CD8 T cell immune response against malarial and other antigens such as viral and tumour antigens. Novel vaccination regimes are described which employ a priming composition and a boosting composition, the boosting composition comprising a non-replicating or replication-impaired pox virus vector carrying at least one CD8 T cell epitope which is also present in the priming composition.

1 . A method for generating a CD8 +  T cell immune response in a mammal against at least one target antigen, comprising administering to said mammal at least one dose of each of the following:
 (i) a priming composition comprising a source of one or more CD8 +  T cell epitopes of the target antigen, wherein the source of the CD8 +  T cell epitopes is a vaccinia virus vector in the mammal; and   (ii) a boosting composition comprising a source of one or more CD8 +  T cell epitopes of the target antigen, including at least one CD8 +  T cell epitope which is the same as a CD8 +  T cell epitope of the priming composition, wherein the source of the CD8 +  T cell epitopes in the boosting composition is a fowlpox vector in the mammal   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the boosting composition is delivered intravenously, intraepidermally or intradermally. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering an adjuvant. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the adjuvant is SBAS2. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the CD8 +  T cell epitopes comprise one or more epitope strings comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37 and 39. 
     
     
         6 - 9 . (canceled)