Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination of a priming composition and a boosting composition to prime and boost an immune response in a subject whereby the immune response resulting from administration of the priming composition to the subject is capable of being boosted. The priming composition comprises a DNA plasmid that comprises a nucleic acid molecule encoding an influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) or an epitope-bearing domain thereof. The boosting composition comprises an influenza vaccine. The present invention also relates to a method to use such a combination to vaccinate a subject and to enhance an immune response to an influenza vaccine administered alone. Such a combination can elicit an immune response not only against at least one influenza virus strain from which the priming composition or boosting composition is derived but also to at least one heterologous influenza virus strain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an influenza immunogen that includes one or more DNA constructs encoding at least two divergent influenza HAs, wherein each of such one or more DNA constructs encodes one or more of the at least two divergent influenza HAs. Such an immunogen, when administered to a subject, induces an immune response to a plurality of strains of influenza virus, wherein at least one strain of the plurality of strains does not encode any of the divergent influenza HAs encoded by the immunogen. The divergent influenza HAs can be swine influenza HAs or equine influenza HAs, such as influenza H1 HAs or influenza H3 HAs. The invention also relates to a method to use such an immunogen to induce such an immune response as well as to DNA constructs comprising such divergent influenza HAs. Such an immunogen can provide a heterologous as well as a homologous immune response. Such an immunogen can be used to induce an immune response against evolving influenza virus.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and six plasmids, each of which encodes an HIV Env, Gag, Pol, or Nef protein. The invention also provides a method of inducing an immune response in an animal using the composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to viral vaccines and, more specifically, to filovirus vaccines and methods of eliciting an immune response against a filovirus or disease caused by infection with filovirus.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to viral vaccines and, more specifically, to filovirus vaccines and methods of eliciting an immune response against a filovirus or disease caused by infection with filovirus.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to viral vaccines and, more specifically, to filovirus vaccines and methods of eliciting an immune response against a filovirus or disease caused by infection with filovirus.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a multiclade HIV plasmid DNA or viral vector vaccine including components from different clades of Env (optionally Env chimeras) and Gag-Pol-(optionally)Nef from a single Glade. The vaccine of the invention may further include V1, V2, V3, or V4 deletions or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides multiclade HIV envelope immunogens.

Abstract: H5 hemagglutinin (HA) polypeptides are provided that are adapted to humans through mutations that change receptor specificity in the H1 serotype, and related polynucleotides, methods, compositions, and vaccines.

Abstract: Computational protocols for the design of epitope-protein scaffolds which elicit selected neutralizing antibodies are disclosed, and related compositions and uses.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a multiclade HIV plasmid DNA or viral vector vaccine including components from different clades of Env (optionally Env chimeras) and Gag-Pol-(optionally)Nef from a single clade. The vaccine of the invention may further include V1, V2, V3, or V4 deletions or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides multiclade HIV envelope immunogens.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to viral vaccines and, more particularly, to filovirus vaccines and methods of eliciting an immune response against a filovirus or disease caused by infection with filovirus.

Abstract: The invention is related to a nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide encoding a modified filovirus glycoprotein (GP) having at least one amino acid change located in a relatively conserved region of said GP that decreases in vitro cytotoxicity and retains immunogenicity when compared to in vitro cytotoxicity and immunogenicity of a wild type filovirus GP, and related modified filovirus GPs, plasmid DNAs, recombinant viruses, adenoviruses, pharmaceutical compositions, vaccine compositions, antibodies that are specifically reactive with the modified filovirus GPs, and related methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions for eliciting an immune response, including a prophylactic immune response, against human immunodeficiency virus. The composition includes nucleic acid constructs encoding HIV antigenic polypeptides of multiple clades or strains. Methods for eliciting an immune response by administering the composition to a subject are also provided.

Abstract: These vaccines target H5N1, H1, H3 and other subtypes of influenza and are designed to elicit neutralizing antibodies, as well as cellular immunity. The DNA vaccines express hemagglutinin (HA) or nucleoprotein (NP) proteins from influenza which are codon optimized and/or contain modifications to protease cleavage sites of HA which affect the normal function of the protein. Adenoviral constructs expressing the same inserts have been engineered for prime boost strategies. Protein-based vaccines based on protein production from insect or mammalian cells using foldon trimerization stabilization domains with or without cleavage sites to assist in purification of such proteins have been developed. Another embodiment of this invention is the work with HA pseudotyped lentiviral vectors which would be used to screen for neutralizing antibodies in patients and to screen for diagnostic and therapeutic antivirals such as monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a multiclade HIV plasmid DNA or viral vector vaccine including components from different clades of Env (optionally Env chimeras) and Gag-Pol-(optionally)Nef from a single clade. The vaccine of the invention may further include V1, V2, V3, or V4 deletions or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides multiclade HIV envelope immunogens.

Abstract: The present invention describes DNA coated stents and methods of using the same to treat or prevent vascular diseases, such as restenosis.

Abstract: The p21 gene encodes a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor which affects cell cycle progression, but the role of this gene product in altering tumor growth has not been established. The present inventors have now discovered that the growth of malignant cells in vivo is inhibited by expression of p21. Expression of p21 resulted in an accumulation of cells in G0/G1, alteration in morphology, and cell differentiation.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a multiclade HIV plasmid DNA or viral vector vaccine including components from different clades of Env (optionally Env chimeras) and Gag-Pol-(optionally)Nef from a singlr clade. The vaccine of the invention may further include V1, V2, V3, or V4 deletions or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the invention provides multiclade HIV envelope immunogens.

Abstract: The p21 gene encodes a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor which affects cell cycle progression, but the role of this gene product in altering tumor growth has not been established. The present inventors have now discovered that the growth of malignant cells in vivo is inhibited by expression of p21. Expression of p21 resulted in an accumulation of cells in G0/G1, alteration in morphology, and cell differentiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to viral vaccines and, more particularly, to filovirus vaccines and methods of eliciting an immune response against a filovirus or disease caused by infection with filovirus.