Immunogen platform

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to chimeric polypeptides including HCV NS3/4A sequences and T-cell epitopes. Embodiments include nucleic acids encoding the chimeric NS3/4A polypeptides, the encoded polypeptides, compositions containing said nucleic acids, compositions containing said chimeric polypeptides, as well as methods of making and using the aforementioned compositions including, but not limited to medicaments and vaccines.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An immunogenic composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule that comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous chimeric hepatitis viral antigen comprising hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A antigen fused to a hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen, wherein the nucleotide sequence is modified to encode an amino acid sequence that comprises one or more protease cleavage site insertions at one or more non-naturally occurring positions and said immunogenic compositions induces an effective immune response specific for one or more epitopes of said heterologous viral antigen. 
     
     
         3 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 2 , wherein the immune response is a humoral antibody response. 
     
     
         4 . A method of inducing an immune response to an HCV antigen, the method comprising:
 identifying a patient in need of an induced immune response to HCV antigen; and   administering an amount of composition effective to induce an immune response to said patient, wherein the composition comprises a nucleic acid molecule that comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous chimeric hepatitis viral antigen comprising hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A antigen fused to a hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen, wherein the nucleotide sequence is modified to encode an amino acid sequence that comprises one or more protease cleavage site insertions at one or more non-naturally occurring positions and said immunogenic compositions induces an effective immune response specific for one or more epitopes of said heterologous viral antigen.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising co-administering an adjuvant with said composition, wherein the adjuvant is ribavirin. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the induced immune response is a humoral antibody response.