Allergy Vaccines Containing Hybrid Polypeptides

Abstract

Hybrid polypeptides comprising at least two different allergenic proteins or fragments thereof wherein each fragment consists of at least eight consecutive amino acids of the respective allergenic protein are disclosed. The hybrid polypeptides and polynucleotides coding therefor can be used as pharmaceutical compositions, in particular as vaccines.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A polynucleotide encoding a fusion allergens consisting of recombinant polypeptides of two or more different naturally occurring timothy grass pollen allergens for use as immunotherapeutic agents. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A cell transfected or transformed with the polynucleotide of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         10 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for treating an allergic disorder comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition of recombinant polypeptides of two or more different naturally occurring timothy grass pollen allergens to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         23 . A method for inducing tolerance to a given allergen, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition of recombinant polypeptides of two or more different naturally occurring timothy grass pollen allergens to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method for providing immunity to a given allergen, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition of recombinant polypeptides of two or more different naturally occurring timothy grass pollen allergens to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         25 . A method for detecting antibodies against a given allergenic protein in a sample, comprising conducting in vitro antibody tests employing the hybrid polypeptide of any one of claims  1  to  6  or conducting in vitro or in vivo cellular-based tests employing the hybrid polypeptide of any one of claims  1  to  6 . 
     
     
         26 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of identifying plant hybrid allergens for treatment of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to the respective wild-type allergens comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a fusion allergen of naturally occurring plant allergens;   (b) challenging an immunological model with said fusion allergen;   (c) selecting as candidate immunotherapeutic agents, those fusion allergens which induce IgE-blocking antibodies and have reduced allergenic activity compared with the respective wild-type allergens.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the hybrid allergen is a fusion protein of two or more wild-type allergens. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the hybrid allergen is a fusion protein of fragments of two or more wild-type allergens. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the hybrid allergen is a fusion protein of fragments of two or more wild-type allergens, and wherein each fragment contains at least eight consecutive amino acids of the wild-type allergen. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the hybrid allergen is a fusion protein of one or more modifications of at least one of the two or more wild-type allergens. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the hybrid allergen is prepared by chemical synthesis. 
     
     
         42 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method of treating IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to plant allergens comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment, a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more hybrid plant fusion allergens as immunotherapeutic agents, wherein said agents have been identified by a method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing fusion allergens of naturally occurring plant allergens;   (b) challenging an immunological model with said fusion allergen;   (c) selecting as candidate immunotherapeutic agents, those fusion allergens which induce IgE-blocking antibodies and have reduced allergenic activity compared with the respective wild-type allergens.   
     
     
         45 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 - 53 . (canceled)