Methods and Compositions for Managing Resistance of Hepatitis C Virus to Immunosuppressant

• Main Authors: POOLE DAN S, STRIKER ROBERT T, FERNANDES FIONA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.11.2010
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL ORENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF; ENZYMOLOGY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEICACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NUCLEIC ACIDS; NUCLEOSIDES; NUCLEOTIDES; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ORMEDICINAL PREPARATIONS; SPIRITS; SUGARS; VINEGAR; WINE

Method for determining susceptibility of a hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a patient, especially one who received a liver transplant, to cyclosporine A (CsA), comprising determining the nucleic acid sequence of HCV, and comparing the viral nucleic acid sequence to that of a wild-type, CsA susceptible strain, wherein the existence of at least one mutation in the viral genome is indicative that the virus is resistant to CsA. Also provided are isolated polynucleotide molecules comprising one or more mutations, an array of such molecules, a kit comprising at least one isolated polynucleotide. A method of monitoring the development CsA resistance in a HCV patient, and managing treatment regimens accordingly is further provided. The present invention further provides CsA resistant HCV replicons and method of using them for anti-viral drug screening.