NUCLEIC ACIDS COMPRISING FORMULA (NuGlXmGnNv)a AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF AS IMMUNOSTIMULATING AGENT/ADJUVANT

Abstract

The present invention relates to nucleic acids of the general formula (I): (NuGlXmGnNv)a and derivatives thereof as an immunostimulating agent/adjuvant and to compositions containing same, optionally comprising an additional adjuvant. The present invention furthermore relates to a pharmaceutical composition or to a vaccine, each containing nucleic acids of formula (I) above and/or derivatives thereof as an immunostimulating agent, and optionally at least one additional pharmaceutically active component, e.g. an antigenic agent. The present invention relates likewise to the use of the pharmaceutical composition or of the vaccine for the treatment of cancer diseases, infectious diseases, allergies and autoimmune diseases etc. Likewise, the present invention includes the use of nucleic acids of the general formula (I): (NuGlXmGnNv)a and/or derivatives thereof for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of such diseases.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least a first RNA molecule said molecule comprising at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 118 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the first RNA molecule comprises at least 250 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 118. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 27 , wherein the first RNA molecule comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 118. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the first RNA is a linear RNA. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 29 , wherein the first RNA comprises a 5′ Cap. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the first RNA lacks a 5′ Cap. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein first RNA molecule comprises a 5′ cap, a Poly-A sequence and, optionally, a Poly-C sequence. 
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein first RNA molecule has been purified by HPLC. 
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the composition comprises at least one additional pharmaceutically active component. 
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the first RNA molecule is provided in complex with lipids and/or cationic compounds. 
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein the first RNA molecule is provided in complex with cationic peptides. 
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 35 , wherein the first RNA molecule is provided in complex with lipids. 
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 34 , wherein the composition comprises at least one additional RNA molecule encoding an antigen. 
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 38 , wherein the composition comprises at least one additional RNA molecule encoding a tumor antigen. 
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 38 , wherein the composition comprises at least one additional RNA molecule encoding a viral antigen. 
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 38 , wherein the first RNA molecule comprises at least 250 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 118. 
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 41 , wherein the first RNA molecule comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 118. 
     
     
         43 . A method of treating a patient comprising administering an effective amount of a composition according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         44 . A method of producing a RNA:
 (a) providing a DNA encoding a RNA molecule comprising at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 118; and   (b) performing in vitro transcription to produce the RNA molecule comprising at least 200 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 118.