Abstract: This invention is related to compositions and methods for decreasing cholesterol levels in a subject. The method utilizes a nucleic acid expression construct that encodes a growth-hormone-releasing-hormone (“GHRH”) that is delivered into a tissue of the subject, wherein, GHRH is expressed in vivo in the subject.
Type:
Application
Filed:
July 5, 2007
Publication date:
January 14, 2010
Applicant:
VGX PHARMACEUTICLAS, INC.
Inventors:
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Amir S. Khan, Marta L. Fiorroto
Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for decreasing the body fat proportion, increasing lean body mass (“LBM”), increasing bone density, or improving the rate of bone healing, or all, of a subject. Overall, the embodiments of the invention can be accomplished by delivering a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding GHRH or functional biological equivalent thereof into the cells of the subject and allowing expression of the encoded gene to occur while the modified cells are within the subject. For instance, when such a nucleic acid sequence is delivered into the specific cells of the subject tissue specific constitutive expression is achieved. Furthermore, external regulation of the GHRH or functional biological equivalent thereof gene can be accomplished by utilizing inducible promoters that are regulated by molecular switch molecules, which are given to the subject.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 23, 2008
Publication date:
November 26, 2009
Applicant:
VGX PHARMACEUTICLAS, INC.
Inventors:
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Robert J. Schwartz
Abstract: One aspect of the current invention is a method of decreasing an involuntary cull rate in farm animals, wherein the involuntary cull results from infection, disease, morbidity, or mortality. Additionally, milk production, animal welfare, and body condition scores are improved by utilizing methodology that administers the isolated nucleic acid expression construct encoding a GHRH or functional biological equivalent to an animal through a parenteral route of administration. Following a single dose of nucleic acid expression vector, animals are healthier and effects are demonstrated long term without additional administration(s) of the expression construct.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 7, 2008
Publication date:
January 1, 2009
Applicant:
VGX PHARMACEUTICLAS, INC.
Inventors:
Patricia A. Brown, Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Robert H. Carpenter
Abstract: Large scale processes for producing high purity samples of biologically active molecules of interest from bacterial cells are disclosed. The methods comprise the steps of producing a lysate solution by contacting a cell suspension of said plurality of cells with lysis solution; neutralizing said lysate solution with a neutralizing solution to produce a dispersion that comprises neutralized lysate solution and debris; filtering the dispersion through at least one filter; performing ion exchange separation on said neutralized lysate solution to produce an ion exchange eluate; and performing hydrophobic interaction separation on said ion exchange eluate to produce a hydrophobic interaction solution. Further, provided are compositions comprising large scale amounts of plasmid DNA produced by the disclosed large scale processes.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 23, 2008
Publication date:
January 1, 2009
Applicant:
VGX PHARMACEUTICLAS, INC.
Inventors:
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Henry Hebel, Ying Cai
Abstract: One aspect of the current invention is an optimized synthetic mammalian expression plasmid (e.g. pAV0201). This new plasmid comprise a therapeutic element, and a replication element. The therapeutic element of the new plasmid comprises a eukaryotic promoter; a 5? untranslated region (“UTR”); a codon-optimized-eukaryotic therapeutic gene sequence; and a poly adenylation signal. The therapeutic elements of this plasmid are operatively linked and located in a first operatively-linked arrangement. Additionally, the optimized synthetic mammalian expression plasmid comprises replication elements, wherein the replication elements are operatively linked and located in a second operatively-linked arrangement. The replication elements comprise a selectable marker gene promoter, a ribosomal binding site, and an origin of replication. The first-operatively-linked arrangement and the second-operatively-linked arrangement comprise a circular structure of the codon optimized synthetic mammalian expression plasmid.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 16, 2007
Publication date:
August 14, 2008
Applicant:
VGX PHARMACEUTICLAS, INC.
Inventors:
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, Ronald V. Abruzzese, Douglas R. Kern