Antibodies Directed Against Hepatitis C Virus E1E2 Complex, Compositions of HCV Particles, and Pharmaceutical Compositions

Abstract

Antibodies and antigen-binding molecules directed against Hepatitis C virus (HCV) are presented. The antibodies and antigen-binding molecules specifically bind to the HCV E1E2 complex. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing the antibodies and/or antigen-binding molecules. Nucleic acids encoding the antibodies and antigen-binding molecules, along with corresponding expression vectors and host cells are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolated antibody that specifically binds the Hepatitis C virus E1E2 complex, comprising:
 at least one heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, wherein said antigen-binding portion of the heavy chain specifically binds at least one of Hepatitis C virus E1 protein and Hepatitis C virus E2 protein, and   at least one light chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36, or an antigen-binding portion thereof, wherein said antigen-binding portion of the light chain specifically binds at least one of Hepatitis C virus E1 protein and Hepatitis C virus E2 protein.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the antigen-binding portion of the heavy chain comprises three complementary determining regions having the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, SEQ ID NO: 34 and SEQ ID NO: 35; and   the antigen-binding portion of the light chain comprises three complementary determining regions having the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 37, SEQ ID NO: 41 and SEQ ID NO: 38.   
     
     
         3 . The isolated antibody according to  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a chimeric, humanized or deimmunized monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         4 . An antigen-binding molecule that specifically binds the Hepatitis C virus E1E2 complex, comprising three complementary determining regions having the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 33, SEQ ID NO: 34, and SEQ ID NO: 35, and three complementary determining regions having the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO: 37, SEQ ID NO: 41, and SEQ ID NO: 38. 
     
     
         5 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the isolated antibody according to  claim 1 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient. 
     
     
         6 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the antibody according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 (a) a polynucleotide having the sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 39, homologous variants thereof, and fragments thereof that encode said antigen-binding portions of the antibody heavy chain; or   (b) a polynucleotide having the sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 40, homologous variants thereof, and fragments thereof that encode said antigen-binding portions of the antibody light chain; or   (c) a first polynucleotide having the sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 39, homologous variants thereof, and fragments thereof that encode said antigen-binding portions of the antibody heavy chain, and a second polynucleotide having the sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 40, homologous variants thereof, and fragments thereof that encode said antigen-binding portions of the antibody light chain.   
     
     
         7 . An isolated expression vector comprising the isolated nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 6 . 
     
     
         8 . An isolated host cell comprising the isolated expression vector according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . The isolated host cell according to  claim 8 , wherein the host cell is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. 
     
     
         10 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antigen-binding molecule according to  claim 4 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient.