Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating cancer in a human comprising administering to the human a dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and (ii) an adenoviral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding TNF-? operably linked to a promoter, wherein the dose comprises about 1×107 to about 4×1012 particle units (pu) of replication-deficient adenoviral vector, at least once in a therapeutic period comprising up to 10 weeks, whereby the cancer in human is treated. The invention further provides a method of treating a human for multiple tumors, wherein the method comprises contacting a first tumor with a dose of the pharmaceutical composition at least once in a therapeutic period comprising up to about 10 weeks, whereby the human is treated for the first tumor and one or more additional tumors.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of changing the sensory perception of an animal. The method comprises administering an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an atonal-associated factor, which is expressed to produce the atonal-associated factor resulting in generation of hair cells that allow perception of stimuli in the inner ear. Also provided is a method of generating a hair cell in differentiated sensory epitheliain vivo. The method comprises contacting differentiated sensory epithelial cells with an adenoviral vector (a) deficient in one or more replication-essential gene functions of the E1 region and E4 region, (b) comprising a spacer in the E4 region, and (c) comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an atonal-associated factor. The nucleic acid sequence is expressed to produce the atonal-associated factor such that a hair cell is generated. An adenoviral vector encoding an atonal-associated factor also is provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating a tumor in a human comprising administering to the tumor a dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and (ii) an adenoviral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding TNF-? operably linked to a promoter, wherein the dose comprises about 1×107 to about 4×1012 particle units (pu) of replication-deficient adenoviral vector, at least once in a therapeutic period comprising up to 10 weeks, whereby the tumor in human is treated.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating an animal for at least one ocular-related disorder, e.g., ocular neovascularization or age-related macular degeneration. The method comprises contacting an ocular cell with an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an inhibitor of angiogenesis and the same or different nucleic acid sequence encoding a neurotrophic agent. The method also can comprise contacting an ocular cell with different expression vectors, each comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an inhibitor of angiogenesis and/or a nucleic acid sequence encoding a neurotrophic agent. In addition, the present invention provides a viral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) or a therapeutic fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides multiply deficient adenoviral vectors and complementing cell lines. Also provided are recombinants of the multiply deficient adenoviral vectors and a therapeutic method, particularly relating to gene therapy, vaccination, and the like, involving the use of such recombinants.

Abstract: A method of enriching a solution for an adenovirus comprising contacting a solution containing an adenovirus with an anion exchange chromatography resin comprising an acrylate or sulphonamide linker such that the adenovirus binds to the chromatography resin and eluting the adenovirus from the resin with an eluant to obtain an enriched solution of adenovirus.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating cancer in a human comprising (a) administering to the human a dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and (ii) an adenoviral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a human TNF-? and operably linked to a promoter, wherein the dose comprises about 4×107 to about 4×1012 particle units (pu) of adenoviral vector, at least once in a therapeutic period comprising up to about 10 weeks, (b) administering a dose of ionizing radiation to the human over the duration of the therapeutic period, and (c) administering a dose of one or more chemotherapeutics to the human over the duration of the therapeutic period, whereby the cancer in the human is treated.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method of making eukaryotic gene transfer vectors comprising homologous recombining lambdid vectors with a second DNA in a bacterium to generate novel recombinant eukaryotic viral gene transfer vectors as well as a novel lambdid vector used in the inventive method and an inventive system comprising the novel lambdid vector.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of expressing an exogenous nucleic acid in a mammal. The method comprises slowly releasing into the bloodstream a dose of replication-deficient or conditionally-replicating adenoviral vector having reduced ability to transduce mesothelial cells and hepatocytes. The normalized average bloodstream concentration of the adenovirus over 24 hours post-administration is at least about 1%. Alternatively, the normalized average bloodstream concentration over 24 hours post-administration is at least about 5-fold greater than the normalized average bloodstream concentration for an equivalent dose of a wild-type adenoviral vector. A method of destroying tumor cells in a mammal also is provided, as is a replication-deficient adenoviral vector comprising a serotype 5 or serotype 35 adenoviral genome with a serotype 41 fiber protein, wherein the replication-deficient adenoviral vector exhibits reduced native binding to integrins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a library of viral vectors, wherein each member comprises a first heterologous DNA encoding a first gene product and a second heterologous DNA encoding a second gene product. The first heterologous DNA is common to each member of the library, while the second heterologous DNA varies between members of the library. The present invention additionally provides a method of constructing a library of viral vectors. The method comprises carrying out homologous recombination between a first DNA molecule and a second DNA molecule to form a pool of intermediate viral vector genomes. One or more linear third DNA molecules are ligated into the pool of intermediate viral genomes to produce a library of viral vector genomes. Alternatively, homologous recombination between linear DNA molecules and recipient DNA molecules produces a library of viral vector genomes. The library of viral vector genomes is converted into a library of viral vectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant adenovirus comprising coat proteins that lack native binding. In particular, the present invention provides a recombinant adenovirus comprising a penton base protein and a fiber protein, wherein the penton base protein and the fiber protein lack native binding. The present invention further provides a recombinant adenovirus comprising (a) a penton base protein that lacks native binding and (b) a nonnative amino acid sequence that binds a cell-surface binding site.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating an animal for vascular leakage in an eye. The method comprises administering to an animal in need thereof an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) such that vascular leakage in the eye of the animal is treated prophylactically or therapeutically. The invention also provides a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating an animal for vascular leakage in an eye. The method comprises periocularly administering to an animal in need thereof PEDF such that vascular leakage of the animal is treated prophylactically or therapeutically. The invention also provides a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating an animal for non-diabetic vascular leakage in an eye. The method comprises administering to an animal in need thereof PEDF such that non-diabetic vascular leakage in the eye is treated prophylactically or therapeutically.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of delivering a gene product to an animal. The method comprises administering an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence operably linked to a promoter and encoding a gene product, and upregulating transcription of the nucleic acid sequence in the ocular cell. The expression vector can be an adenoviral vector. The invention further provides a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating an animal for at least one ocular-related disorder. The method comprises contacting an ocular cell with an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an inhibitor of angiogenesis and/or a neurotrophic agent. In one aspect, the method further comprises upregulating transcription of the nucleic acid sequence. Preferably, if 2×108 adenoviral particles of the inventive method are administered to a mouse, the level of expression of the nucleic acid sequence is not diminished more than ten-fold at 28 days post-administration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant adenovirus comprising coat proteins that lack native binding. In particular, the present invention provides a recombinant adenovirus comprising a penton base protein and a fiber protein, wherein the penton base protein and the fiber protein lack native binding. The present invention further provides a recombinant adenovirus comprising (a) a penton base protein that lacks native binding and (b) a nonnative amino acid sequence that binds a cell-surface binding site.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for enhancing bone density or formation. In accordance with the method, a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenic protein is administered to a cell in a region of a bone such that the nucleic acid is expressed to produce the angiogenic protein, whereby bone density or formation is enhanced within the region. Optionally, a nucleic acid encoding an osteogenic protein is administered to a cell within the same region such that the nucleic acid is expressed to produce the osteogenic protein. The method can be employed to produce a bone graft having a cell harboring an exogenous nucleic acid encoding an angiogenic protein and, optionally, a cell harboring a nucleic acid encoding an osteogenic protein. To facilitate the inventive method, the invention also pertains to a recombinant viral vector having a nucleic acid encoding an angiogenic protein and a nucleic acid encoding an osteogenic protein.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of treating coronary artery disease in a human patient comprising directly injecting into an ischemic cardiac muscle, via multiple injections to different points of the cardiac muscle, a dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a replication-deficient adenoviral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an angiogenic peptide operably linked to a promoter, whereby the coronary artery disease is treated.

Abstract: The invention provides cells and methods of using the cells for the propagation of replication-deficient adenoviral vectors. The cells comprise at least one heterologous nucleic acid sequence which upon expression produces at least one non-adenoviral gene product that complements in trans for a deficiency in at least one essential gene function of one or more regions of an adenoviral genome so as to propagate a replication-deficient adenoviral vector comprising an adenoviral genome deficient in the at least one essential gene function of the one or more regions when present in the cell.

Abstract: The inventive method of producing a eukaryotic viral vector comprises contacting a eukaryotic cell, which comprises a unique enzyme that nicks or cleaves a DNA molecule, with a recombinant phage vector, or contacting a eukaryotic cell, which does not comprise a unique enzyme that nicks or cleaves a DNA molecule, simultaneously or sequentially, in either order, with (i) a unique enzyme that nicks or cleaves a DNA molecule, and (ii) a recombinant phage vector. The recombinant phage vector comprises the DNA molecule comprising (a) a eukaryotic viral vector genome comprising a coding sequence, (b) a phage packaging site that is not contained within the eukaryotic viral vector genome, and (c) a promoter that is operably linked to the coding sequence. Alternatively, the DNA molecule is not present within the recombinant phage vector. The eukaryotic cell is contacted with the first DNA molecule and a recombinant phage vector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of identifying a gene product. The method comprises providing a multiplicity of cells comprising a first gene product. Preferably, the first gene product is produced in the multiplicity of cells by expressing a first exogenous nucleic acid sequence encoding the first gene product. A library of second nucleic acid sequences encoding second gene products is then introduced into the multiplicity of cells. The second nucleic acid sequences are expressed in the multiplicity of cells to produce the second gene products such that the first gene product and at least one of the second gene products contact. The method further comprises causing a complex to form between the first gene product, an affinity molecule that binds the first gene product, and at least one of the second gene products, and subsequently retrieving the complex. At least one second gene product of the complex then is identified.

Abstract: The present invention provides a viral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) or a therapeutic fragment thereof. The nucleic acid sequence is operably linked to regulatory sequences necessary for expression of PEDF or a therapeutic fragment thereof. Preferably, the viral vector is an adenoviral vector or an adeno-associated viral vector. Also preferably, the viral vector further comprises one or more additional nucleic acid sequences encoding therapeutic substances other than PEDF.