Albumin fusion proteins

Abstract

The present invention encompasses albumin fusion proteins. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the albumin fusion proteins of the invention are also encompassed by the invention, as are vectors containing these nucleic acids, host cells transformed with these nucleic acids vectors, and methods of making the albumin fusion proteins of the invention and using these nucleic acids, vectors, and/or host cells. Additionally the present invention encompasses pharmaceutical compositions comprising albumin fusion proteins and methods of treating, preventing, or ameliorating diseases, disorders or conditions using albumin fusion proteins of the invention.

1 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . An albumin fusion protein comprising a von Willebrand Factor (vWF) polypeptide fused to an albumin polypeptide, wherein said vWF polypeptide fused to said albumin polypeptide has vWF activity, and wherein said albumin polypeptide is selected from:
 (i) a full-length albumin;   (ii) a mature albumin;   (iii) a fragment of albumin, wherein said fragment of albumin has the ability to prolong the serum half-life of the fused vWF polypeptide compared to the unfused vWF polypeptide;   (iv) a variant of albumin, wherein said variant of albumin is a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:18, and wherein said variant of albumin has the ability to prolong the serum half-life of the fused vWF polypeptide compared to the unfused vWF polypeptide;   (v) amino acid residues 1 to 585 of SEQ ID NO:18; and   (vi) amino acid residues 1 to 387 of SEQ ID NO:18.   
     
     
         62 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 , wherein said vWF polypeptide is selected from:
 a) a full-length vWF;   b) a fragment of vWF;   c) a variant of vWF, wherein said variant of vWF is a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to mature vWF; and   d) a mature vWF.   
     
     
         63 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 62 , wherein said fragment of vWF is an N-terminal deletion mutant, a C-terminal deletion mutant, or an N-terminal and C-terminal deletion mutant. 
     
     
         64 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 , which further comprises a second vWF polypeptide. 
     
     
         65 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 , wherein said vWF polypeptide is fused at the N-terminus or at the C-terminus of the albumin polypeptide. 
     
     
         66 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 , wherein said vWF polypeptide is separated from said albumin polypeptide by a linker peptide. 
     
     
         67 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 , further comprising a secretion leader sequence. 
     
     
         68 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 , wherein said fusion protein is expressed by a mammalian cell. 
     
     
         69 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 68 , wherein said fusion protein is encoded by a polynucleotide that is codon-optimized for expression in mammalian cells. 
     
     
         70 . The albumin fusion protein of  claim 68 , wherein said mammalian cell is a COS, CHO (Chinese hamster ovary), or NSO cell. 
     
     
         71 . A composition comprising the albumin fusion protein of  claim 61  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         72 . A kit comprising the composition of  claim 71 . 
     
     
         73 . A method of treating a patient in need of a vWF polypeptide, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of the albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 . 
     
     
         74 . A nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding the albumin fusion protein of  claim 61 .