Patent ID: 6808923
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: A61K,C12N

Abstract:
At least three vectors wherein a first vector contains a lentiviral gag gene encoding a lentiviral gag protein, wherein the lentiviral gag gene is operably linked to a promoter and a polyadenylation sequence, (2) a second vector containing an env gene encoding a functional envelope protein, wherein the env gene is operably linked to a promoter and a polyadenylation sequence; and (3) a lentiviral pol gene encoding a lentiviral pol protein, and wherein said lentiviral pol gene has been modified so that it expresses integrase that has been modified so that said integrase is not capable of integration, on one of the first two vectors or on at least a third vector, wherein said lentiviral pol gene is operably linked to a promoter and a polyadenylation sequence;wherein said vectors do not contain sufficient nucleotides to encode the lentiviral gag and pol and the envelope protein on a single vector; and wherein said vectors do not contain nucleotides of the lentiviral genome referred to as a packaging segment to effectively package lentiviral RNA; and wherein the lentiviral proteins and the envelope protein when expressed in combination form a lentivirus virion containing an envelope protein around a lentiviral capsid; and (4) a packaging vector containing a nucleic acid sequence encoding a heterologous nucleic acid, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is operably linked to a promoter and a lentiviral packaging sequence necessary to package the lentiviral RNA into the lentiviral virion and contains at least a viral DNA origin of replication as part of an episomal replicon, wherein said episomal replicon comprises a viral DNA origin of replication and a sequence encoding a protein that acts as a replication transactivator.