Patent ID: 6670147
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: A61K,C12N,C12Y

Abstract:
A polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid construct comprising the following nucleic acid sequences in the following order:a) at least one promoter element operably linked to; b) at least one nucleic acid sequence which encodes an active compound, wherein said active compound is endogenous to mammals, operably linked to; c) at least one nucleic acid sequence which encodes an amino acid sequence cleavable specifically by a protease which is released at or from a mammalian target cell, operably linked to; d) at least one DNA sequence which encodes a polypeptide which is bound to said active compound by said cleavable amino acid sequence and inhibits the activity of said compound while bound thereto by said cleavable amino acid sequence, wherein said polypeptide comprises the active compound or compounds of b), the cleavable sequence or sequences of c), and the inhibitor or inhibitors of d), and wherein said nucleic acid component c) does not naturally occur as operably linking said nucleic acid sequence b) to said nucleic acid d) and wherein the nucleic acid sequence b)c)d) encodes an inactive precursor of the protein active compound b).