Therapeutic vaccine for the treatment of papillomavirus lesions

Abstract

An attenuated vaccinia virus GAB-1 and its use in a vaccine for treatment of papillomavirus lesions is described. In preferred embodiments, the Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus is serially passaged in chicken embryo-fibroblast (CEF) cells by at least 100 passages. GAB-1 has reduced virulence and is safe to use without side effects after attenuation by serial passaging, but remains highly immunogenic. Experimentation has found that GAB-1 is much more immunogenic than other strains of vaccinia virus, including Western Reserve (WR) and modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA). GAB-1 can be used safely in humans for treating tumorous lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A viral preparation, comprising an attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus that has been serially passaged in a host cell. 
     
     
         2 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the host cell is selected from the group consisting of chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells, a monkey kidney cell line (VERO), and a monkey epithelial cell line (BSC-1). 
     
     
         3 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus produces more viral particles in an animal cell than does a wildtype Western Reserve strain of vaccinia virus. 
     
     
         4 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus produces morphologic plaques, but not lytic plaques in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF). 
     
     
         5 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus has been passaged in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells for at least 100 passages. 
     
     
         6 . The viral preparation of  claim 5 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus has been serially passaged in CEF cells for at least 200 passages. 
     
     
         7 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus has lost at least 5000 base pairs of nucleotides after serial passaging. 
     
     
         8 . The viral preparation of  claim 7 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus has been passaged in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells for at least 100 passages. 
     
     
         9 . The viral preparation of  claim 7 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus has lost between 8,000 and 12,000 base pairs of nucleotides after serial passaging. 
     
     
         10 . The viral preparation of  claim 9 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus has been serially passaged in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells for at least 200 passages. 
     
     
         11 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus protects an animal from wildtype Western Reserve strain of vaccinia virus. 
     
     
         12 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus is at effective in reducing size of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia by at least 80%. 
     
     
         13 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuated Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus generates more viral particles in a host than does modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) E2 strain of vaccinia virus. 
     
     
         14 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus produces a higher antibody titer than does a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) E2 strain of vaccinia virus in a patient. 
     
     
         15 . The viral preparation of  claim 1 , wherein the Lederle-Chorioallantoic strain of vaccinia virus produces a higher antibody titer than does wildtype Western Reserve strain of vaccinia virus in an animal.