Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a method of non-invasive immunization in an animal and/or a method of inducing a systemic immune response or systemic therapeutic response to a gene product. The skin of the animal is contacted with a non-replicative vector chosen from the group of bacterium, virus, and fungus, wherein the vector comprises and expresses a nucleic acid molecule encoding the gene product, in an amount effective to induce the response.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a method of non-invasive immunization in an animal and/or a method of inducing a systemic immune response or systemic therapeutic response to a gene product. The skin of the animal is contacted with a non-replicative vector chosen from the group of bacterium, virus, and fungus, wherein the vector comprises and expresses a nucleic acid molecule encoding the gene product, in an amount effective to induce the response.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a method of non-invasive immunization in an animal and/or a method of inducing a systemic immune response or systemic therapeutic response to a gene product. The skin of the animal is contacted with a non-replicative vector chosen from the group of bacterium, virus, and fungus, wherein the vector comprises and expresses a nucleic acid molecule encoding the gene product, in an amount effective to induce the response.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are methods of non-invasive genetic immunization in an animal and/or methods of inducing a systemic immune or therapeutic response in an animal, products therefrom and uses for the methods and products therefrom. The methods can include contacting skin of the animal with a vector in an amount effective to induce the systemic immune or therapeutic response in the animal. The vector can include and express an exogenous nucleic acid molecule encoding an epitope or gene product of interest. The systemic immune response can be to or from the epitope or gene product. The nucleic acid molecule can encode an epitope of interest and/or an antigen of interest and/or a nucleic acid molecule that stimulates and/or modulates an immunological response and/or stimulates and/or modulates expression, e.g., transcription and/or translation, such as transcription and/or translation of an endogenous and/or exogenous nucleic acid molecule; e.g.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of inducing an immune response in a non-invasive mode, comprising the step of: contacting skin of an individual in need of such treatment topically by applying to said skin an immunologically effective concentration of a genetic vector encoding a gene of interest. Also provided is a method of inducing an anti-tumor immune response in an animal in need of such treatment, comprising the step of: contacting skin of said animal topically by applying to said skin an immunologically effective concentration of a vector encoding a gene which encodes an antigen which induces an anti-tumor effect in said animal following administration. The genetic vector may include adenovirus recombinants, DNA/adenovirus complexes, DNA/liposome complexes, or any other vectors capable of expressing transgenes. Topical application of geneticvectors may preferably include a device as designed therein.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are methods of non-invasive immunization and drug delivery in an animal and/or methods of inducing a systemic immune or therapeutic response in an animal following topical application of non-replicative vectors, products therefrom and uses for the methods and products therefrom. Also disclosed and claimed are methods of non-invasive immunization and drug delivery in an animal and/or a method of inducing a systemic immune response or systemic therapeutic response to a gene product comprising contacting skin of the animal with cell-free extracts in an amount effective to induce the response, wherein the extracts are prepared by filtration of disrupted cells, wherein the cell comprises and expresses a nucleic acid molecule. Preferably, the cell is temporarily disrupted by sonication, remaining intact and viable after the sonication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to techniques of skin-targeted non-invasive gene delivery to elicit immune responses and uses thereof. The invention further relates to methods of non-invasive genetic immunization in an animal and/or methods of inducing a systemic immune or therapeutic response in an animal following topical application of vectors, products therefrom and uses for the methods and products therefrom. The methods can include contacting skin of the animal with a vector in an amount effective to induce the systemic immune or therapeutic response in the animal as well as such a method further including disposing the vector in and/or on the delivery device. The vector can be gram negative bacteria, preferably Salmonella and most preferably Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to techniques of skin-targeted non-invasive gene delivery to elicit immune responses and uses thereof. The invention further relates to methods of non-invasive genetic immunization in an animal and/or methods of inducing a systemic immune or therapeutic response in an animal following topical application of vectors, products therefrom and uses for the methods and products therefrom. The methods can include contacting skin of the animal with a vector in an amount effective to induce the systemic immune or therapeutic response in the animal as well as such a method further including disposing the vector in and/or on the delivery device. The vector can be gram negative bacteria, preferably Salmonella and most preferably Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are methods of non-invasive genetic immunization in an animal and/or methods of inducing a systemic immune or therapeutic response in an animal, products therefrom and uses for the methods and products therefrom. The methods can include contacting skin of the animal with a vector in an amount effective to induce the systemic immune or therapeutic response in the animal. The vector can include and express an exogenous nucleic acid molecule encoding an epitope or gene product of interest. The systemic immune response can be to or from the epitope or gene product. The nucleic acid molecule can encode an epitope of interest and/or an antigen of interest and/or a nucleic acid molecule that stimulates and/or modulates an immunological response and/or stimulates and/or modulates expression, e.g., transcription and/or translation, such as transcription and/or translation of an endogenous and/or exogenous nucleic acid molecule; e.g.