Patent ID: 7022482

Claim:
A method for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells in a patient, comprising: inactivating a polypeptide that is a soluble factor which is released or induced by cancer cells or by cells infected by a cancer-inducing virus and has a local immunosuppressive and/or angiogenic activity with respect to the cancer cells to be inhibited, by physical and/or chemical treatment, and/or by modification of the amino acid sequence thereof, so as to eliminate at least 70% of the immunosuppressive and/or angiogenic activity of the non-inactivated factor and yet to retain sufficient immunogenic properties to raise antibodies that neutralize the immunosuppressive and/or angiogenic activity of the factor; and administering said inactivated protein to the patient in a manner such that antibodies thereto are produced in a quantity sufficient to combine with the factor and to neutralize the immunosuppressive and/or angiogenic activity of the factor, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of the cells, wherein said factor is protein E7 of the papillomavirus.