Abstract: The present invention relates to multi-ribozymes and their use to target RNA in a tissue-specific, target RNA-specific, or pathogen-specific manner for the treatment of cancers, proliferative disease, and bacterial, parasitic and viral infections. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of virions and viral vectors to package and deliver DNA encoding the multi-ribozymes to a host. The present invention relates to the use of liposomes and lipid-DNA complexes to deliver DNA encoding ribozymes to a host. Most specifically, the invention relates to the use of target specific virions to package and deliver DNA comprising a target specific promoter and encoding a ribozyme(s) directed to the target organism nucleic acids. The present invention further relates to a novel vectors encoding a multi-ribozyme structure with enhanced 5′ and/or 3′ autocatalytically cleaving ribozymes.
Type:
Application
Filed:
February 26, 2002
Publication date:
May 15, 2003
Applicant:
Medical University of South Carolina, an agency of the State of South Carolina
Inventors:
James S. Norris, Gary A. Clawson, Michael G. Schmidt, Brian Hoel, Wei-Hua Pan, Joseph W. Dolan, David Schofield, Caroline Westwater, Cancan Huang