Patent ID: 7402316

Claim:
A hybrid fusion polypeptide comprising a multivalent immunogenic portion fused to an immunogenic polypeptide that is carboxy-terminal to the multivalent immunogenic portion, which protects the immunogenicity of the multivalent immunogenic portion, wherein the multivalent immunogenic portion comprises six immunogenic amino-terminal polypeptides of Group A streptococcal M protein from six different Group A streptococcal serotypes, wherein the immunogenic polypeptide that is carboxy-terminal to the multivalent immunogenic portion is a reiteration of the immunogenic amino-terminal polypeptide from the amino terminus of the multivalent immunogenic portion, wherein each of the six immunogenic amino-terminal polypeptides is at least 10 amino acids in length; and wherein at least one of the six immunogenic amino-terminal polypeptides of the multivalent immunogenic portion is selected from Group A streptococcal serotype 2, serotype 11, serotype 22, and serotype 28.