Polypeptide

Abstract

The present invention provides 5T4 tumour-associated antigen (TAA) for use in a method of immunotherapy of tumours. The invention also relates to a recombinant poxvirus vector from which at least one immune evasion gene has been deleted, which comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding a 5T4 TAA and the use thereof in vaccinating against and in treating tumours.

1 . A viral vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         2 . A vector according to  claim 1  which is a poxvirus vector.  
     
     
         3 . A vector according to  claim 2  which is MVA.  
     
     
         4 . An expression vector which encodes and expresses 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         5 . The vector according to  claim 4  which is an entomopox virus vector.  
     
     
         6 . The vector of  claim 1  wherein said 5T4 antigen is non-human.  
     
     
         7 . The vector of  claim 6  wherein said non-human 5T4 antigen is a murine antigen.  
     
     
         8 . The vector of  claim 6  wherein said non-human 5T4 antigen is a canine antigen.  
     
     
         9 . The vector of  claim 1  wherein said 5T4 antigen is a modified 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         10 . The vector of  claim 9  wherein said modified 5T4 antigen induces a CTL response an antitumor immunotherapeutic response or an antibody response to a tumor in a subject.  
     
     
         11 . The vector of  claim 9  wherein said modified 5T4 antigen comprises an HLA CTL peptide epitope of 5T4.  
     
     
         12 . The vector of  claim 9  wherein said modified 5T4 antigen is a human modified 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         13 . The vector of  claim 11  wherein said modified 5T4 antigen is a human modified 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         14 . The vector of  claim 11  wherein said modified 5T4 antigen comprises a peptide sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 5-17.  
     
     
         15 . The vector of  claim 9  wherein said modified 5T4 antigen comprises a peptide sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 18-27.  
     
     
         16 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 1  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         17 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 3  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         18 . The pair of vectors according to  claim 16 , wherein said first viral vector is the priming vector and is an MVA vector.  
     
     
         19 . The pair of vectors according to  claim 17 , wherein said first viral vector is the priming vector.  
     
     
         20 . The pair of vectors according to  claim 16 , wherein said second viral vector is the boosting vector and is an entomopox virus vector.  
     
     
         21 . The pair of vectors according to  claim 17 , wherein said second viral vector is the boosting vector and is an entomopox virus vector.  
     
     
         22 . A method of priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said method comprising administering a pair of vectors according to  claim 16  to said subject.  
     
     
         23 . A method of priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said method comprising administering a pair of vectors according to  claim 17  to said subject.  
     
     
         24 . A method of priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said method comprising administering a pair of vectors according to  claim 20  to said subject.  
     
     
         25 . A method of priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said method comprising administering a pair of vectors according to  claim 21  to said subject.  
     
     
         26 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 6  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         27 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 9  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         28 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 11  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         29 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 12  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         30 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 16  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         31 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 16  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding a 5T4 antigen.  
     
     
         32 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 1  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding the same 5T4 antigen as the first vector.  
     
     
         33 . A pair of vectors for priming and boosting an immune response to 5T4 antigen in a subject, said pair of viral vectors comprising a first viral vector according to  claim 3  and a second poxvirus vector expressing a nucleic acid encoding the same 5T4 antigen as the first vector.