Modified H7 Hemagglutinin Glycoprotein of the Influenza A/Shanghai/2/2013 H7 Sequence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a sequence modification of the H7 hemagglutinin glycoprotein of the Influenza A/Shanghai/2/2013 H7 sequence together with vaccines derived therefrom. In addition, the invention further comprises method for improving the efficacy of vaccine antigens by modifying T cell epitopes.

1 .- 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . A method for improving the efficacy of vaccine antigens comprising the steps of:
 (a) identifying constituent T cell epitopes which share TCR contacts with proteins derived from either the human proteome or the human microbiome; and   (b) making modifications to said T cell epitopes so as to either reduce MHC binding and/or reduce homologies between TCR contacts of said target T cell epitope and the human proteome or the human microbiome.   
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein said constituent T cell epitopes engage either regulatory T cells or fail to engage effector T cells. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 66 , wherein said modifications replace an amino acid sequence of said constituent T cell epitope with an amino acid sequence of a different T cell epitope. 
     
     
         68 . The method of claim according to  claim 67 , wherein said modifications reduce the homology between said constituent T cell epitope and either the human genome, the human microbiome or both. 
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein said modifications introduces introduce a T cell epitope that engages effector T cells.