Abstract: The invention relates to an injection device containing a hollow needle (1), a cutting needle that can be inserted into the hollow needle and that has a cutting tip projecting from the front end of the hollow needle, a catheter (9) that replaces said cutting needle and that can be inserted approximately up to its front end into the hollow needle (9), said catheter having a receiving chamber (30) for a substance in the form of a capsule on its distal end, in addition to a mandrin (29) that can be inserted into the catheter (9) and which can be placed in a position defining a receiving chamber (30) filled with capsules (22) on the distal end of said catheter, wherein the capsules (22) contained in the receiving chamber (30) of the inserted catheter (9) are released without exerting any pressure in the target area of the body (23) once the injection device has been arranged in a target area of a body (23) by relatively pulling back both the catheter (9) and the hollow needle (1) in relation to the mandrin (29) a

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of the rodent WAP (Whey Acidic Protein) and the MMTV (Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus) regulatory sequences for targeted expression of linked heterologous genes, in particular therapeutic genes in human mammary cells, including human mammary carcinoma cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retroviral vector which is especially applicable as a safe gene transfer vehicle for targeted gene therapy. Said retroviral vector comprises one or more promoters inserted in antisense orientation within the 5′ LTR region and one or more coding sequences inserted in antisense orientation within the 3′ LTR region. Both, the promoter as well as the coding sequence, are additionally inserted in such a way as to ensure that the promoter and the coding sequence become duplicated during the process of reverse transcription in a target cell and thus appear in the 3′ as well as in the 5′ LTR region of the resulting provirus in a fashion where the promoter is located upstream of the coding sequence allowing it to drive gene expression. This system avoids any leakiness of gene expression in the packaging cells, and allows expression of transferred genes in the target cell without the necessity for external stimuli.

Abstract: The invention relates to an injection device containing a hollow needle (1), a cutting needle that can be inserted into the hollow needle and that has a cutting tip projecting from the front end of the hollow needle, a catheter (9) that replaces said cutting needle and that can be inserted approximately up to its front end into the hollow needle (9), said catheter having a receiving chamber (30) for a substance in the form of a capsule on its distal end, in addition to a mandrin (29) that can be inserted into the catheter (9) and which can be placed in a position defining a receiving chamber (30) filled with capsules (22) on the distal end of said catheter, wherein the capsules (22) contained in the receiving chamber (30) of the inserted catheter (9) are released without exerting any pressure in the target area of the body (23) once the injection device has been arranged in a target area of a body (23) by relatively pulling back both the catheter (9) and the hollow needle (1) in relation to the mandrin (29) a

Abstract: The present invewntion relates to a method for the evaluation of the activity and/or specificity of a regulatory sequence or of a viral component, wherein a viral vector is introduced into a cell of a transgenic non-human animal comprising in its genome one or more viral sequences. However, said transgenic animal is deficient in at least one viral sequence required for generation of the virus. This viral sequence is included in the viral vector introduced into the cell of the transgenic animal, thereby allowing reconstitution of viral particle generation in the transgenic animal. After maintaining the transgenic animal under suitable conditions allowing the production of viral particles, the cells in which viral particles are produced can be detected and evaluated, respectively. The method according to the present invention can also be adapted to evaluate the distribution of a receptor for a ligand in an animal.