Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating an individual having a blood coagulation defect (e.g., hemophilia A, hemophilia B), comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a DNA vector encoding modified Factor VII (FVII), wherein the modified Factor VII leads to generation of Factor VIIa in vivo. In a particular embodiment, the invention pertains to a method of treating an individual having a blood coagulation defect comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding a modified FVII wherein the modified FVII comprises a signal which codes for precursor cleavage by furin at the activation cleavage site of the modified FVII. The invention also relates to a method of treating an individual having a blood coagulation disorder comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding the light chain of human FVII and a nucleic acid encoding the heavy chain of human FVII operably linked to a leader sequence.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel combinations of liver specific enhancers and promoter elements for achieving persistent transgene expression in the liver. The liver specific enhancer elements may be derived from either the human serum albumin, prothrombin, ?-1microglobulin or aldolase genes in single copies or in multimerized form linked to elements derived from the cytomegalovirus intermediate early (CMV), ?-1-antitrypsin or albumin promoters. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an adenoviral vector comprising a liver specific enhancer/promoter combination operably linked to a transgene is administered to recipient cells. In other embodiments of the invention, adeno-associated viral vectors, retroviral vectors, lentiviral vectors or a plasmid comprising the liver specific enhancer/promoter combination linked to a transgene is administered to recipient cells. Also within the scope of the invention are promoter elements derived from the human prothrombin gene and the ?-fibrinogen gene.

Abstract: Compositions, expression vectors and host cells comprising nucleic acid which encodes a precursor glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) comprising mammalian GLP-1 linked to a heterologous signal sequence are encompassed by the present invention. The invention also relates to a method of promoting insulin production in an individual comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding a precursor GLP-1. The present invention also relates to a method of treating an individual having a blood sugar defect (e.g., type I or type II diabetes), comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding the precursor GLP-1.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for generating high titer, contaminant free, recombinant AAV vectors, methods and genetic constructs for producing AAV recombinant vectors conveniently and in large quantities, methods for the delivery of all essential viral proteins required in trans for high yields of recombinant AAV, recombinant AAV vectors for use in gene therapy, novel packaging cell lines which obviate the need for cotransfection of vector and helper plasmids, helper plasmids and vector plasmid backbone constructs, a reporter assay for determining AAV vector yield. Further provided are recombinant AAV vectors in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, methods of delivering a transgene of interest to a cell, compositions and methods for delivering a DNA sequence encoding a desired polypeptide to a cell, and transgenic non-human mammals that express a human chromosome 19 AAV integration locus.

Abstract: Compositions, expression vectors and host cells comprising nucleic acid which encodes a precursor glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) comprising mammalian GLP-1 linked to a heterologous signal sequence are encompassed by the present invention. The invention also relates to a method of promoting insulin production in an individual comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding a precursor GLP-1. The present invention also relates to a method of treating an individual having a blood sugar defect (e.g., type I or type II diabetes), comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding the precursor GLP-1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating an individual having a blood coagulation defect (e.g., hemophilia A, hemophilia B), comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a DNA vector encoding modified Factor VII (FVII), wherein the modified Factor VII leads to generation of Factor VIIa in vivo. In a particular embodiment, the invention pertains to a method of treating an individual having a blood coagulation defect comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding a modified FVII wherein the modified FVII comprises a signal which codes for precursor cleavage by furin at the activation cleavage site of the modified FVII. The invention also relates to a method of treating an individual having a blood coagulation disorder comprising administering to the individual an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding the light chain of human FVII and a nucleic acid encoding the heavy chain of human FVII operably linked to a leader sequence.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for generating high titer, contaminant free, recombinant AAV vectors, methods and genetic constructs for producing recombinant AAV vectors conveniently and in large quantities, methods for the delivery of all essential viral proteins required in trans for high yields of recombinant AAV, recombinant AAV vectors for use in gene therapy, novel packaging cell lines which obviate the need for cotransfection of vector and helper plasmids, helper plasmids and vector plasmid backbone constructs, a reporter assay for determining AAV vector yield. Further provided are recombinant AAV vectors in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, methods of delivering a transgene of interest to a cell, compositions and methods for delivering a DNA sequence encoding a desired polypeptide to a cell, and transgenic non-human mammals that express a human chromosome 19 AAV integration locus.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to improved helper vectors and cell lines for the production of pseudoadenoviral (PAV) vectors containing substantially reduced levels of contaminating helper vector. The invention provides for helper vectors for the production of substantially helper vector-free PAV stocks comprising phag C31 recombinase recognition sequences which, depending upon their arrangement within the helper vector, can prevent helper vector packaging. The invention also provides for improved cell lines for the production of substantially helper vector-free PAV stocks comprising a stably introduced novel circular PAV genome into the cell.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel combinations of liver specific enhancers and promoter elements for achieving persistent transgene expression in the liver. The liver specific enhancer elements may be derived from either the human serum albumin, prothrombin, &agr;-1microglobulin or aldolase genes in single copies or in multimerized form linked to elements derived from the cytomegalovirus intermediate early (CMV), &agr;-1-antitrypsin or albumin promoters. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an adenoviral vector comprising a liver specific enhancer/promoter combination operably linked to a transgene is administered to recipient cells. In other embodiments of the invention, adeno-associated viral vectors, retroviral vectors, lentiviral vectors or a plasmid comprising the liver specific enhancer/promoter combination linked to a transgene is administered to recipient cells. Also within the scope of the invention are promoter elements derived from the human prothrombin gene and the &bgr;-fibrinogen gene.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel systems for the high level production of purified recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector stocks comprising producer cell lines and helper adenoviruses. These systems provide high level production of rAAV vector stocks that are not contaminated by helper viruses or have very minimal contamination with helper virus. The invention is also directed to methods for the production of high yield, purified rAAV vector stocks using the systems of the invention.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel systems for the high level production of purified recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector stocks comprising producer cell lines and helper adenoviruses. These systems provide high level production of rAAV vector stocks that are not contaminated by helper viruses or have very minimal contamination with helper virus. The invention is also directed to methods for the production of high yield, purified rAAV vector stocks using the systems of the invention.

Abstract: This invention describes a nucleic acid delivery vehicle construct for transfecting and/or infecting a target cell. The construct is made of a delivery vehicle and a bifunctional complex for linking the delivery vehicle to a target cell. The bifunctional complex has a delivery vehicle-binding molecule or fragment (“delivery vehicle-binding portion”), a molecule or fragment thereof that binds to a cell surface molecule on the target cell (“cell surface molecule-binding portion”) and a linker which connects the molecules or fragments.

Abstract: The invention is directed to novel adenoviral vectors which are capable of facilitating persistent expression of a transgene which is delivered by the vector to a cell. The vectors are E1/partial E3 deleted vectors which contain a transgene operably linked to expression control sequences, preferably the CMV promoter. The invention is also directed to compositions comprising the adenoviral vectors of the invention and to methods for providing persistent expression of a transgene to the cells of an individual by administration of the compositions.