Replikin-based compounds for prevention and treatment of influenza and methods of differentiating infectivity and lethality in influenza

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of differentiating the infectivity and lethality of isolates of influenza virus and provides compounds for diagnosing, preventing, and treating outbreaks of influenza virus including compounds for diagnosing, preventing, and treating across different strains of influenza virus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolated or chemically synthesized peptide consisting of 7 to 50 amino acid residues and comprising at least one peptide A that is at least 90% 3-0% homologous with at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said at least one peptide A consists of at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         6 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  consisting of at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         7 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  consisting of at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-12. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  consisting essentially of at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         11 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  consisting essentially of at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-12. 
     
     
         12 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  wherein said peptide A is at least 95% homologous with at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         13 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An immunogenic or blocking composition comprising at least one peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . The immunogenic or blocking composition of  claim 19  comprising at least one peptide of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         21 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The immunogenic or blocking composition of  claim 19  comprising at least two isolated or chemically synthesized peptides of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         26 . The immunogenic or blocking composition of  claim 19  comprising a mixture of peptides, wherein the mixture comprises isolated or chemically synthesized peptides of each of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-12. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The immunogenic or blocking composition of  claim 26 , wherein the mixture comprises approximately equal weight of the isolated peptides of each of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-12. 
     
     
         29 . The immunogenic or blocking composition of  claim 28  comprising about 10% by weight SEQ ID NO: 1, about 9% by weight SEQ ID NO: 2, about 10% by weight SEQ ID NO: 3, about 6% by weight SEQ ID NO: 4, about 8% by weight SEQ ID NO: 5, about 8% by weight SEQ ID NO: 6, about 7% by weight SEQ ID NO: 7, about 6% by weight SEQ ID NO: 8, about 10% by weight SEQ ID NO: 9, about 8% by weight SEQ ID NO: 10, about 7% by weight SEQ ID NO: 11, and about 11% by weight SEQ ID NO: 12, wherein the percent by weight is based on the weight of said mixture of peptides. 
     
     
         30 . The immunogenic or blocking composition of  claim 19  further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. 
     
     
         31 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . An antibody or antibody fragment that binds to at least a portion of an amino acid sequence of at least one peptide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         41 . The antibody or antibody fragment of  claim 40  that binds to at least a portion of a peptide consisting of at least one of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20. 
     
     
         42 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . A method of preventing or treating influenza virus infection comprising administering at least one isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1  to an animal or human. 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54  comprising administering at least one isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of SEQ ID NO(s): 1-20 to an animal or human. 
     
     
         57 - 95 . (canceled) 
     
     
         96 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide is chemically synthesized by solid phase methods. 
     
     
         97 . The isolated or chemically synthesized peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide is dissolved in water.