Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery, identification and characterization of toxic agents which are lethal to pathogens and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a pathogen or pathogen infected cells in order to treat and/or eradicate the infection. In particular, the present invention relates to toxic agents which target bacteria at different stages of the bacterial life cycle, which are delivered alone or in combination to bacteria or bacteria-infected cells. The invention relates to toxic agents which are lethal to diseased cells and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a diseased cell in order to treat and/or eradicate the disease. The present invention relates to promoter elements which are pathogen-specific or tissue-specific and the use of such promoter elements to achieve pathogen-specific or tissue-specific expression of the toxic agent(s) and/or ribozyme(s) of the present invention.

Abstract: In the US about ? of college women show evidence of HPV infection. The clinical problem may be even larger in developing countries. There are currently no effective therapies for HPV infections, aside from therapeutic cone biopsies, which often are followed by recurrent, progressive lesions. Thus, pharmaceutical compositions and processes for treatment of an HPV infection are detailed. In particular, a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting growth of a human papilloma virus-infected cell is provided which includes a peptide halomethyl ketone inhibitor of a chymotrypsin or chymotrypsin-like protease and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A preferred inhibitor is AAPFcmk.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated nucleic acids. For example, the invention provides isolated nucleic acids having at least one strand with both sense and antisense sequences that are complementary to each other. The invention also provides isolated nucleic acids having at least one strand that is a template for both sense and antisense sequences that are complementary to each other. In addition, the invention provides cells, viruses, and transgenic animals (e.g., transgenic non-human animals) containing one or more of the isolated nucleic acids provided herein as well as methods for using one or more of the isolated nucleic acids provided herein to reduce the level of an RNA (e.g., an mRNA) within a cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery, identification and characterization of toxic agents which are lethal to pathogens and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a pathogen or pathogen infected cells in order to treat and/or eradicate the infection. In particular, the present invention relates to toxic agents which target bacteria at different stages of the bacterial life cycle, which are delivered alone or in combination to bacteria or bacteria-infected cells. The invention relates to toxic agents which are lethal to diseased cells and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a diseased cell in order to treat and/or eradicate the disease. The present invention relates to promoter elements which are pathogen-specific or tissue-specific and the use of such promoter elements to achieve pathogen-specific or tissue-specific expression of the toxic agent(s) and/or ribozyme(s) of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and materials related to treating HPV infections (e.g., HPV infections of cutaneous and mucosal epithelial cells) and HPV-associated conditions (e.g., cervical dysplasia, HPV-associated cervical carcinomas, oral mucosal papilloma cancers, laryngeal papilloma cancers).

Abstract: In the US about ? of college women show evidence of HPV infection. The clinical problem may be even larger in developing countries. There are currently no effective therapies for HPV infections, aside from therapeutic cone biopsies, which often are followed by recurrent, progressive lesions. Thus, pharmaceutical compositions and processes for treatment of an HPV infection are detailed. In particular, a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting growth of a human papilloma virus-infected cell is provided which includes a peptide halomethyl ketone inhibitor of a chymotrypsin or chymotrypsin-like protease and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A preferred inhibitor is AAPFcmk.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery, identification and characterization of toxic agents which are lethal to pathogens and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a pathogen or pathogen infected cells in order to treat and/or eradicate the infection. In particular, the present invention relates to toxic agents which target bacteria at different stages of the bacterial life cycle, which are delivered alone or in combination to bacteria or bacteria-infected cells. The invention relates to toxic agents which are lethal to diseased cells and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a diseased cell in order to treat and/or eradicate the disease. The present invention relates to promoter elements which are pathogen-specific or tissue-specific and the use of such promoter elements to achieve pathogen-specific or tissue-specific expression of the toxic agent(s) and/or ribozyme(s) of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery, identification and characterization of toxic agents which are lethal to pathogens and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a pathogen or pathogen infected cells in order to treat and/or eradicate the infection. In particular, the present invention relates to toxic agents which target bacteria at different stages of the bacterial life cycle, which are delivered alone or in combination to bacteria or bacteria-infected cells. The invention relates to toxic agents which are lethal to diseased cells and methods for targeting such toxic agents to a diseased cell in order to treat and/or eradicate the disease. The present invention relates to promoter elements which are pathogen-specific or tissue-specific and the use of such promoter elements to achieve pathogen-specific or tissue-specific expression of the toxic agent(s) and/or ribozyme(s) of the present invention.