Patent ID: 7341843

Claim:
A method of predicting or determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, the method comprising the steps of: a) contacting a first BoNT/A peptide and a second BoNT/A peptide with a test specimen from said individual; wherein said first BoNT/A peptide consists of amino acids 785-803 of SEQ ID NO: 1, a conservative BoNT/A amino acid sequence variant thereof, or an immunoreactive BoNT/A amino acid sequence fragment thereof, where said conservative BoNT/A amino acid sequence variant thereof is immunoreactive with said antibodies and comprises 1-4 conservative amino acid substitutions to amino acids 785-803 of SEQ ID NO: 1 and where said immunoreactive BoNT/A amino acid sequence fragment thereof is immunoreactive with said antibodies and comprises at least six consecutive amino acids of 785-803 of SEQ ID NO: 1; and wherein said second BoNT/A peptide consists of amino acids 981-999 of SEQ ID NO: 1, amino acids 1051-1069 of SEQ ID NO: 1, amino acids 1121-1139 of SEQ ID NO: 1, amino acids 1275-1296 of SEQ ID NO: 1, a conservative BoNT/A amino acid sequence variant thereof, or an immunoreactive BoNT/A amino acid sequence fragment thereof, where said conservative BoNT/A amino acid sequence variant thereof is immunoreactive with said antibodies comprises 1-4 conservative amino acid substitutions to amino acids 981-999 of SEQ ID NO: 1, 1-4 conservative amino acid substitutions to amino acids 1051-1069 of SEQ ID NO: 1, 1-4 conservative amino acid substitutions to amino acids 1121-1139 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or 1-4 conservative amino acid substitutions to amino acids 1275-1296 of SEQ ID NO: 1, and where said immunoreactive BoNT/A amino acid sequence fragment thereof is immunoreactive with said antibodies comprises at least six consecutive amino acids of 981-999 of SEQ ID NO: 1, at least six consecutive amino acids of 1051-1069 of SEQ ID NO: 1, at least six consecutive amino acids of 1121-1139 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or at least six consecutive amino acids of 1275-1296 of SEQ ID NO: 1; and b detecting the presence or absence in said test specimen of antibodies immunoreactive with a first BoNT/A peptide and a second BoNT/A peptide; wherein the presence of antibodies immunoreactive with said first BoNT/A peptide and said second BoNT/A peptide indicates immunoresistance to a botulinum toxin therapy in an individual.