The present invention relates to an immunogenic polypeptide comprising a multitude of human papillomavirus (HPV) L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 50 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV 16, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are L2 N-terminal peptides from at least two different HPV genotypes. The present invention also relates to said immunogenic polypeptide for use in medicine and for use in vaccination against HPV infection. Moreover, the present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the immunogenic polypeptide and to a host cell comprising the same. Moreover, the present invention relates to kits, methods, and uses related to the immunogenic polypeptide of the invention.

Cervical cancer is women's second most frequent cancer worldwide. Clinical and molecular studies have shown that certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), referred to as high-risk types, are the etiological agents of this disease. Two anti-HPV vaccines for the prophylaxis of cervical cancer have been licensed recently by Merck (Gardasil™) and Glaxo SmithKline (Cervarix™) (Schmiedeskamp et al, (2006), Ann Pharmacother, 40: 1344-1352). Both vaccines rely on the major capsid protein LI in the form of virus-like particles (VLPs) as antigen (Roden et al, (2006), Nat Rev Cancer, 6: 753-763); they protect against the HPV types from which the LI -VLPs were derived, yet are largely ineffective against all but the most closely related HPV types. The two most prominent high-risk HPV types, 16 and 18, are the major targets of both vaccines, although there is evidence for partial cross-protection against HPV types 31 and 45 (reviewed by Muller and Gissmann, (2007), Dis Markers, 23: 331-336; Huh and Roden, (2008), Gynecol Oncol, 109: S48-56). The limited cross-protective capacity of Ll-based vaccines, which is the main reason for the continuing effort toward the development of improved vaccination strategies, likely reflects the HPV type specificity of LI neutralizing epitopes (Giroglou et al, (2001), Vaccine, 19: 1783-1793).

Antibodies against the minor capsid protein L2 also neutralize HPV infection and are often capable to cross-neutralize various non-cognate virions, although with varying efficiencies (Kondo et al. (2007), Virology, 358: 266-272; Gambhira, R., (2007), J Virol, 81 : 13927-13931). The N-terminal region of L2 interacts with an as yet unidentified secondary receptor on the surface of target cells (Yang et al. (2003), J Virol, 77: 3531-3541) and this interaction can be blocked by anti-L2 antibodies. The precise identity of the L2 region involved in HPV-cell surface interaction is still a matter of debate. This was initially proposed as the region comprised of amino acids (aa) 108-120, and antibodies targeting this particular L2 region were indeed shown to block viral infection in vitro albeit at low titers (Kawana et al. (2001), Vaccine, 19: 1496-1502; Kawana et al. (2001b), J Virol, 75: 2331-2336). Subsequent experiments identified additional neutralizing epitopes in the aa 1-88 region (Pastrana et al. (2005), Virology, 337: 365- 372) as well as in more extended N-terminal regions comprised of aa 11-200 and aa 18-144 (Kondo loc. cit). Perhaps the most prominent of these N-terminal epitopes is the one located between aa 17-36. This was identified as the target of an HPV16 neutralizing and protective monoclonal antibody (RG-1) as well as the major determinant of the neutralizing activity found in sera from rabbits and humans immunized with extended versions of L2 (aa 1-88, 11-200 or the full-length protein) (Gambhira, 2007, loc cit. ). Since it had been found that mutation of L2 amino acids 18 and 19 or of amino acids 20 and 21 disrupted both L2 binding to the cell surface and viral infection (Yang, R., et al. (2003), J. Virol. 77: 3531-3541), it was concluded that the epitope recognized by the RG-1 antibody overlaps the surface-binding motif of HPV16 L2. Besides the lack of precise knowledge on the most relevant (cross) neutralizing epitope(s), a major problem with the use of L2 as a tool for HPV prophylaxis is the poor immunogenicity of the L2 protein and peptides thereof, as compared to Ll-VLPs. A substantial increase in immunogenicity has been reported lately via chemical coupling of the HPV 16 L2 peptide (17- 36) to a broadly recognized T helper epitope and to the Toll-like receptor ligand dipalmitoyl S- glyceryl cysteine (Alphs et al. (2008), Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 105: 5850-5855). Alternatively, L2 peptides have been fused to Adenovirus surface proteins (WO 2008/140474) or to other HPV proteins to increase immunogenicity (WO 2002/070004, de Jong et al. (2002), Vaccine, 20(29-30): 3456-3464). Also, multimeric L2 vaccines, comprising peptides from various genotypes, were used (Jagu et al. (2013), PLOS One 8(1): e55538).

A recently developed alternative strategy for increasing peptide immunogenicity relies on the use of thioredoxin (Trx) as a scaffold protein with the ability to constrain the structure of single-copy as well as multimeric (tandemly repeated) peptide epitopes inserted within its surface-exposed active site loop (Moretto et al. (2007), J Biol Chem, 282, 11436-11445). This strategy has also been used to present HPV L2 peptides for immunization (WO 2010/070052). For thioredoxin as scaffold protein, it was found that by using Trx variants from Archaebacteria, induction of anti- host thioredoxin antibodies can be significantly reduced (Canali et al. (2014), Scientific Reports 4, Art. No 4729: 1).

Thus, the LI polypeptide is highly immunogenic and antibodies against it show only a limited cross-protective capacity, whereas antibodies against the L2 polypeptide are capable of cross- neutralizing various HPV genotypes. The L2 polypeptide, however has only limited immunogenicity. Therefore, immunogenic polypeptides that are highly immunogenic and allow for a cross- neutralization of various HPV genotypes without the drawbacks as referred to above are highly required. The technical problem underlying the present invention can be seen as the provision of means and methods for complying with the aforementioned needs. The technical problem is solved by the embodiments characterized in the claims and herein below.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to an immunogenic polypeptide comprising a multitude of human papillomavirus (HPV) L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 50 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV 16, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are L2 N- terminal peptides from at least two different HPV genotypes.

As used in the following, the terms "have", "comprise" or "include" or any arbitrary grammatical variations thereof are used in a non-exclusive way. Thus, these terms may both refer to a situation in which, besides the feature introduced by these terms, no further features are present in the entity described in this context and to a situation in which one or more further features are present. As an example, the expressions "A has B", "A comprises B" and "A includes B" may both refer to a situation in which, besides B, no other element is present in A (i.e. a situation in which A solely and exclusively consists of B) and to a situation in which, besides B, one or more further elements are present in entity A, such as element C, elements C and D or even further elements.

Further, as used in the following, the terms "preferably", "more preferably", "most preferably", "particularly", "more particularly", "specifically", "more specifically" or similar terms are used in conjunction with optional features, without restricting further possibilities. Thus, features introduced by these terms are optional features and are not intended to restrict the scope of the claims in any way. The invention may, as the skilled person will recognize, be performed by using alternative features. Similarly, features introduced by "in an embodiment of the invention" or similar expressions are intended to be optional features, without any restriction regarding further embodiments of the invention, without any restrictions regarding the scope of the invention and without any restriction regarding the possibility of combining the features introduced in such way with other optional or non-optional features of the invention. Moreover, if not otherwise indicated, the term "about" relates to the indicated value with the commonly accepted technical precision in the relevant field, preferably relates to the indicated value ± 20%, more preferably ± 10%, more preferably ± 5%.

The term "immunogenic polypeptide", as used herein, relates to a, preferably non-naturally occurring, polypeptide comprising a multitude of L2 N-terminal sequences as specified herein. The immunogenic polypeptide referred to herein comprises at least a multitude of human papillomavirus (HPV) L2 N-terminal peptides as specified herein. As specified herein below, the immunogenic polypeptide may comprise further domains, like, preferably, scaffold polypeptides, e.g. thioredoxin, immune enhancers, oligomerization domains, and the like. Preferably, said domains are linked by non-covalent bonds and have a dissociation constant of at most 10 ^"6 mo 1/1, more preferably of at most 10 ^"7 mo 1/1, most preferably at most 10 ^"8 mo 1/1. More preferably, at least two domains are covalently connected, preferably by a peptide bond. Most preferably, all domains of the immunogenic polypeptide are covalently connected, preferably by peptide bonds; i.e. preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide is a polypeptide having a contiguous chain of amino acids. Thus, preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide is encoded by a single open reading frame. Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide has the biological function of being an immunogenic polypeptide, inducing a humoral and/or a cellular immune response in a subject, more preferably inducing a humoral immune response in a subject. Most preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide has the biological function of inducing immunity to at least one, more preferably at least three, still more preferably at least eight, most preferably at least ten HPV genotypes.

Preferably, the term immunogenic polypeptide includes variants of the specific immunogenic polypeptides described herein. As used herein, the term "polypeptide variant" relates to any chemical molecule comprising at least the polypeptides as specified herein, having the indicated activity, but differing in structure from said polypeptide indicated herein. Preferably, the polypeptide variant comprises a peptide having an amino acid sequence corresponding to an amino acid sequence of from 25 to 500, more preferably of from 30 to 300, most preferably, of from 35 to 150 consecutive amino acids comprised in a polypeptide as specified herein. Moreover, also encompassed are further polypeptide variants of the aforementioned polypeptides. Such polypeptide variants have at least the same essential biological activity as the specific polypeptides. Moreover, it is to be understood that a polypeptide variant as referred to in accordance with the present invention shall have an amino acid sequence which differs due to at least one amino acid substitution, deletion and/or addition, wherein the amino acid sequence of the variant is still, preferably, at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 92%, 95%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical with the amino acid sequence of the specific polypeptide. The degree of identity between two amino acid sequences can be determined by algorithms well known in the art. Preferably, the degree of identity is to be determined by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, where the fragment of amino acid sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (e.g., gaps or overhangs) as compared to the sequence it is compared to for optimal alignment. The percentage is calculated by determining, preferably over the full length of the peptide, the number of positions at which the identical amino acid residue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity. Optimal alignment of sequences for comparison may be conducted by the local homology algorithm of Smith and Waterman (1981), by the homology alignment algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch (1970), by the search for similarity method of Pearson and Lipman (1988), by computerized implementations of these algorithms (GAP, BESTFIT, BLAST, PASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package, Genetics Computer Group (GCG), 575 Science Dr., Madison, WI), or by visual inspection. Given that two sequences have been identified for comparison, GAP and BESTFIT are preferably employed to determine their optimal alignment and, thus, the degree of identity. Preferably, the default values of 5.00 for gap weight and 0.30 for gap weight length are used. Polypeptide variants referred to above may be derived from allelic variants or any other species specific homologs, paralogs, or orthologs. Moreover, the polypeptide variants referred to herein include fragments of the specific polypeptides or the aforementioned types of polypeptide variants as long as these fragments and/or variants have the biological activity as referred to above. Such fragments may be or be derived from, e.g., degradation products or splice variants of the polypeptides. Further included are variants which differ due to posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitinylation, sumoylation, or myristylation, by including non-natural amino acids, and/or by being peptidomimetics. Moreover, variants of the immunogenic polypeptide of the present invention, preferably, include variants wherein at least one domain is a variant of a domain described herein. As used herein, the term "papillomavirus" (PV) relates to a DNA virus from the papillomaviridae family of viruses that infects the skin and mucous membranes of mammals, preferably livestock, more preferably cattle and horses, most preferably humans. For human PV (HPV), more than 110 HPV genotypes have been described (de Villiers, E. M., C. Fauquet, T. R. Broker, H. U. Bernard, and H. zur Hausen. 2004. Classification of papillomaviruses. Virology 324: 17-27). Approximately 50 HPV genotypes are known to infect the mucosa. These mucosal genotypes are classified into three different groups based on their epidemiological association with cancer: "low-risk" human papillomaviruses (LR-HPV), "high-risk" human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV) and "putative high-risk" human papillomaviruses (pHR-HPV). It is also known that HR-HPVs can cause vulvar, anal, vaginal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancer, as well as vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia, anal intraepithelial neoplasia, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, and penile intraepithelial neoplasia. Preferably, HPVs are mucosal HPVs; more preferably, HPVs of the current invention are High-risk HPV genotypes (HR-HPVs), which are the main cause for the development of cervical cancer. Preferably, HPVs are HPV 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73 and 82, more preferably HPV 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82, most preferably HPV 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51 and 59.

The term "L2 N-terminal peptide" refers to a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a peptide occurring in the N-terminus of a HPV L2 polypeptide. HPV L2 polypeptides are known in the art. The full-length L2 polypeptide is one of the two capsid proteins of papillomaviruses and is also referred to as minor capsid protein. Together with the major capsid protein, LI, the full- length L2 polypeptide forms viral capsids. The L2 N-terminal peptide, in the context of the present invention corresponds to amino acids 20 to 50, preferably amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of an HPV L2 polypeptide. As will be understood by the skilled person, the L2 polypeptides of the various HPV genotypes are not necessarily exactly co linear due to sequence variations, although preferred immunogenic epitopes share a similar sequence. Thus, for amino acid numbering, reference is frequently made to amino acid positions corresponding to the positions of corresponding amino acids in the HPV 16 L2 amino acid sequence. Thus, preferably, the L2 N-terminal peptide, in the context of the present invention, corresponds to amino acids 20 to 50, preferably amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16. Preferred L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 50 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16 are those having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (HPV 16), SEQ ID NO: 2 (HPV 18), SEQ ID NO: 3 (HPV 45), SEQ ID NO: 4 (HPV 31), SEQ ID NO: 5 (HPV 33), SEQ ID NO: 6 (HPV 35), SEQ ID NO: 7 (HPV 59), SEQ ID NO: 8 (HPV 56), SEQ ID NO: 9 (HPV 51), SEQ ID NO: 10 (HPV 39), SEQ ID NO: 11 (HPV 82), or SEQ ID NO: 12 (HPV 6). Preferred L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16 are those having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 (HPV 16), SEQ ID NO: 14 (HPV 18), SEQ ID NO: 15 (HPV 45), SEQ ID NO: 16 (HPV 31), SEQ ID NO: 17 (HPV 33), SEQ ID NO: 18 (HPV 35), SEQ ID NO: 19 (HPV 59), SEQ ID NO: 20 (HPV 56), SEQ ID NO: 21 (HPV 51), SEQ ID NO: 22 (HPV 39), SEQ ID NO: 23 (HPV 82), or SEQ ID NO: 24 (HPV 6).

Preferably, the term L2 N-terminal peptide includes variants of the specific N2 -terminal peptides as specified herein above. More preferably, variants of the N2 -terminal peptides are variants comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid deletion(s), insertion(s) and/or substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. More preferably, variants of the N2 -terminal peptides are variants comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s), preferably conservative substitution, per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. The term "multitude of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides" relates to a number of at least 3, preferably at least 5, more preferably 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12, even more preferably 7, 8, or 9, most preferably 8 HPV L2 N-terminal peptides. Preferably, said multitude is a number of from 3 to 11, preferably of from 5 to 10, more preferably of from 7 to 9, most preferably 8 HPV L2 N-terminal peptides. Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide comprises three copies, more preferably two copies, most preferably one copy of each of said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides.

Preferably, at least two, more preferably at least five, most preferably at least eight HPV L2 N- terminal peptides comprised in said immunogenic polypeptide are non-identical. Thus, preferably, the HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in said immunogenic polypeptide are L2 N-terminal peptides from at least two, more preferably at least five, even more preferably from 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1, or 12, most preferably from 8, different HPV genotypes. Preferably, the HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in said immunogenic polypeptide comprise L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82 or variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. More preferably, the HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in said immunogenic polypeptide comprise L2 N- terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82. Also preferably, the HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprise L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59 or variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. More preferably, the HPV L2 N- terminal peptides in said immunogenic polypeptide comprise L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59.

Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, L2 N- terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82 or variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. More preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, one copy each of L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51 and 59 or is a variant of said polypeptide comprising a multitude of HPV L2 N- terminal peptides comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. As used herein, the term "immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprising" specific L2 N-terminal peptides relates to an immunogenic polypeptide comprising the indicated L2 N-terminal peptides, but not comprising further, non-indicated L2 N-terminal peptides; as will be understood, the term, thus, does not exclude that said immunogenic polypeptide comprises further, non-L2 N-terminal peptide elements, preferably polypeptide domains. Thus, preferably, an immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprising L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59 may comprise any number of L2 N- terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59, but no L2 N-terminal peptides of other HPV genotypes. Even more preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82. Still more preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59. Most preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, one copy each of L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59. Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide comprises HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-39-45-51-56-59-82, more preferably comprises HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-6-51-59. More preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide comprises one copy of a peptide comprising one copy each of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-39-45-51-56-59-82; most preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide comprises one copy of a peptide comprising one copy each of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-6-51-59. Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide is devoid of an L2 N-terminal peptide of HPV genotype(s) 39, 45, 56, and/or 82. Preferably, the HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are comprised in the immunogenic polypeptide in a directly contiguous sequence, i.e. not comprising intervening amino acids. More preferably, the HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in the immunogenic polypeptide are separated by one or more linker sequences, wherein said linker sequences may be identical or may be different for the respective L2 N-terminal peptides intervened. Preferably, the linker consists of 5, 3 or 2 amino acids consisting of proline (P) and glycine (G) residues. More preferably, the HPV L2 N- terminal peptides in the immunogenic polypeptide are separated by GGP and/or GGGP linker sequences. Preferably, the multitude of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprises the amino acid sequence, more preferably the multitude of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 25 or 26, preferably SEQ ID NO: 25; or is a variant of said sequence comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N- terminal peptide. More preferably, the multitude HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprises the amino acid sequence, more preferably the multitude HPV L2 N-terminal peptides consists of an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 25 or 26, preferably SEQ ID NO: 25. Thus, preferably, immunogenic polypeptide comprises, preferably consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25 or 26, preferably SEQ ID NO: 25 or is a variant of said sequence. More preferably, immunogenic polypeptide comprises, preferably consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25 or 26, preferably SEQ ID NO: 25.

Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide further comprises an oligomerization domain. The term "oligomerization domain" is used in its conventional meaning and relates to a polypeptide having the property that polypeptides comprising said domain have a propensity to aggregate. Preferably, the dissociation constant for the oligomerization domain as a separate molecule is at most 10 ^"4 mo 1/1, more preferably at most 10 ^"5 mo 1/1, most preferably at least 10 ^"6 mo 1/1. As will be appreciated, the number of molecules aggregating will in particular depend on the type of oligomerization domain selected. Suitable oligomerization domains are known in the art. Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide comprises at least one oligomerization domain of (i) an oligomerization domain of a C4-binding protein, preferably of a mammalian C4-binding protein, more preferably of a human or mouse C4-binding protein, most preferably of a mouse C4- binding protein; (ii) an encapsulin polypeptide, preferably an encapsulin polypeptide from a thermophilic archaebacterium, more preferably a Pyrococcus furiosus encapsulin polypeptide; (iii) a ferritin polypeptide, preferably a ferritin polypeptide from a thermophilic archaebacterium, more preferably a Pyrococcus furiosus ferritin polypeptide; and (iv) a hybrid polypeptide of two different chicken C4-binding proteins, preferably an IMX313 polypeptide or a variant thereof, in particular as described in WO 2007/062819 A2, most preferably an IMX313T polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:60, preferably encoded by SEQ ID NO:61). Preferably, the oligomerization domain comprises a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 55 (P. furiosus encapsulin); or comprises a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 56 (P. furiosus ferritin).

Also preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide further comprises an enhancer of immunogenicity, preferably at the N-terminus and/or at the C-terminus of said immunogenic polypeptide. Peptide sequences functioning as enhancers of immunogenicity are, in principle, known in the art. Preferably, the enhancer of immunogenicity is CD4+ T-helper epitope, preferably an epitope comprising at least one of (i) p25 from the carboxyl region of Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein; (ii) p2 peptide from tetanus toxin; (iii) p30 peptide from tetanus toxin; and (iv) a Pan HLA-DR reactive epitope (PADRE). More preferably, the enhancer of immunogenicity comprises, preferably consists of, a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 57 (PADRE), SEQ ID NO: 58 (p30), and/or SEQ IS NO: 59 (p25). Also preferably, the enhancer of immunogenicity is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence RGD, known to be an integrin binding motif.

In a preferred embodiment, the multitude of L2 N-terminal peptides is comprised in a thioredoxin polypeptide. Thioredoxin polypeptides suitable for including L2 N-terminal peptides are known in the art from WO 2010/070052. Preferably, the thioredoxin is a mammalian, more preferably human, a bacterial, or an archaebacterial thioredoxin. More preferably, the thioredoxin is an archaebacterial thioredoxin, preferably from a thermophilic archaebacterium, preferably of Pyrococcus furiosus or of Methanosaeta thermophila. Thus, the thioredoxin preferably has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 49 (human thioredoxin), preferably encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 50, or is a variant thereof; or has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 47 (mouse thioredoxin), preferably encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 48, or is a variant thereof; or has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 45 (E. coli thioredoxin), preferably encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 46, or is a variant thereof. More preferably, the thioredoxin has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53 (P. furiosus thioredoxin), preferably encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 54, or is a variant thereof; or has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 51 (M. thermophila thioredoxin), preferably encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 52, or is a variant thereof. As will be understood by the skilled person, the thioredoxins of the present invention have the biological activity of being a scaffold for the L2 N-terminal peptides, whereas the redox-activity is not required. Accordingly, according to the present invention, variant thioredoxins with a sequence identity of at least 50% to one of the aforesaid thioredoxins are suitable for use in the immunogenic polypeptide. Preferably, the multitude of L2 N-terminal peptides is inserted into the display site of the thioredoxin, as described in detail in WO 2010/070052.

Preferably, the thioredoxin and/or the oligomerization domain and/or the enhancer of immunogenicity have less than 50%, more preferably less than 35%, even more preferably less than 25%, most preferably less than 20% amino acid sequence identity to a human polypeptide, preferably to any human polypeptide identified in assembly GRCh38.p7 of the human genome. More preferably, the thioredoxin and/or the oligomerization domain have less than 50%, more preferably less than 35%, even more preferably less than 25%, most preferably less than 20% amino acid sequence identity to a human polypeptide, preferably to any human polypeptide identified in assembly GRCh38.p7 of the human genome. Also preferably, the thioredoxin and/or the oligomerization domain and/or the enhancer of immunogenicity are polypeptides derived from archaebacterial polypeptides. More preferably, the thioredoxin and/or the oligomerization domain are polypeptides derived from archaebacterial polypeptides.

As will be understood, the aforesaid domains may also be combined in an essentially arbitrary fashion. Preferred combinations are the following:

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 27, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 29, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 30.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 31, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 32.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 34, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

35. -An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 37.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 38.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 40.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 41, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 42.

-An immunogenic polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 43, preferably encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 44. The term "subject", as used herein, relates to an animal, preferably a vertebrate, more preferably a mammal, in particular to livestock like cattle, horse, pig, sheep, and goat, or to a laboratory animal like a rat, mouse, and guinea pig. Most preferably, the subject is a human.

Advantageously, it was found in the work underlying the present invention that polypeptides comprising a multitude of non-identical HPV L2 N-terminal peptides induce improved immunity to HPV and, in particular, mediate improved cross-immunity. This effect was particularly pronounced for polypeptides comprising peptides from eight to eleven HPV genotypes, polypeptides with peptides from eight genotypes surprisingly having best performance. The definitions made above apply mutatis mutandis to the following. Additional definitions and explanations made further below also apply for all embodiments described in this specification mutatis mutandis.

The present invention further relates to an immunogenic polypeptide of the present invention for use in medicine. The present invention also relates to an immunogenic polypeptide of the present invention for use in vaccination against HPV infection.

The term "vaccination against HPV infection" as used herein, preferably, relates to administering the compounds as specified herein to elicit an immune response against various HPV genotypes. Thus, vaccination stimulates the immune system and establishes or improves immunity to infection with various HPV genotypes. Preferably, vaccination according to the present invention allows for establishing or improving immunity to infection with human papillomavirus genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59. Preferably, the vaccine according to the present invention also allows for establishing or improving immunity to infection with at least the human papillomavirus genotypes 5, 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51 and 59. In a preferred embodiment, vaccination according to the present invention allows for establishing or improving immunity to infection with human papillomavirus genotypes 31, 35, and 51. It is to be understood that the vaccine according to the present invention may comprise further components, in particular as specified elsewhere herein. The skilled person will understand that vaccination may not elicit a significant immune response in all subjects vaccinated. Also, it is to be understood that vaccination may not be effective to prevent infection in all subjects vaccinated. However, the term requires that a, preferably statistically significant, portion of subjects of a cohort or population are effectively vaccinated. Whether a portion is statistically significant can be determined without further ado by the person skilled in the art using various well known statistic evaluation tools, e.g., determination of confidence intervals, p-value determination, Student ^' s t-test, Mann- Whitney test etc.. Preferred confidence intervals are at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97%>, at least 98%> or at least 99 %>. The p-values are, preferably, 0.1, 0.05, 0.01, 0.005, or 0.0001. Preferably, the treatment shall be effective for at least 60%, at least 70%), at least 80%>, or at least 90%> of the subjects of a given cohort or population.

Preferably, vaccination further comprises administration of an adjuvant, preferably simultaneously to administration of the immunogenic polypeptide. More preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide and the adjuvant are comprised in a common mixture at administration. Thus, preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide and the adjuvant are mixed before administration. Preferably, the adjuvant comprises (i) alum and a toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist, preferably synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), and/or (ii) a squalene- based oil-in-water nano-emulsion, preferably AddaVax™.

Preferably, vaccination against HPV infection of the present invention induces a humoral immune response in a subject, i.e., preferably induces the production of antibodies recognizing, preferably specifically recognizing, an HPV L2 polypeptide. The term "specifically recognizing" is understood by the skilled person as the property of a binding agent, e.g. an antibody, to specifically bind to a particular species of molecule, while other molecules from the same chemical class of molecules, e.g. proteins, are not recognized or are recognized to a much lesser extent. Preferably, the binding constant of an antibody specifically recognizing a HPV L2 polypeptide for a HPV L2 polypeptide is at least a factor 100, more preferably at least a factor of at least 1000, most preferably a factor of at least 10000 lower than for any non-HPV L2 polypeptide. Preferably, the antibodies specifically recognizing an HPV L2 polypeptide are antibodies specifically recognizing an HPV capsid. Preferably, the antibodies specifically recognizing an HPV L2 polypeptide are antibodies neutralizing an HPV capsid. Preferably, vaccination against HPV infection induces a humoral and a cellular immune response in a subject.

Accordingly, the present invention also relates to an immunogenic polypeptide according to the present invention for use in generating antibodies specifically recognizing an HPV L2 polypeptide.

Further, the present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the immunogenic polypeptide according to the present invention.

As used herein, the term polynucleotide, preferably, includes variants of the specifically indicated polynucleotides. More preferably, the term polynucleotide relates to the specific polynucleotides indicated. The term "polynucleotide variant", as used herein, relates to a variant of a polynucleotide related to herein comprising a nucleic acid sequence characterized in that the sequence can be derived from the aforementioned specific nucleic acid sequence by at least one nucleotide substitution, addition and/or deletion, wherein the polynucleotide variant shall have the activity as specified for the specific polynucleotide. Moreover, it is to be understood that a polynucleotide variant as referred to in accordance with the present invention shall have a nucleic acid sequence which differs due to at least one nucleotide substitution, deletion and/or addition. Preferably, said polynucleotide variant is an ortholog, a paralog or another homolog of the specific polynucleotide. Also preferably, said polynucleotide variant is a naturally occurring allele of the specific polynucleotide. Polynucleotide variants also encompass polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence which is capable of hybridizing to the aforementioned specific polynucleotides, preferably, under stringent hybridization conditions. These stringent conditions are known to the skilled worker and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, N. Y. (1989), 6.3.1-6.3.6. A preferred example for stringent hybridization conditions are hybridization conditions in 6x sodium chloride/sodium citrate (= SSC) at approximately 45°C, followed by one or more wash steps in 0.2x SSC, 0.1% SDS at 50 to 65°C. The skilled worker knows that these hybridization conditions differ depending on the type of nucleic acid and, for example when organic solvents are present, with regard to the temperature and concentration of the buffer. For example, under "standard hybridization conditions" the temperature differs depending on the type of nucleic acid between 42°C and 58°C in aqueous buffer with a concentration of O.lx to 5x SSC (pH 7.2). If organic solvent is present in the abovementioned buffer, for example 50% formamide, the temperature under standard conditions is approximately 42°C. The hybridization conditions for DNA:DNA hybrids are preferably for example O. lx SSC and 20°C to 45°C, preferably between 30°C and 45°C. The hybridization conditions for DNA:RNA hybrids are preferably, for example, O. lx SSC and 30°C to 55°C, preferably between 45°C and 55°C. The abovementioned hybridization temperatures are determined for example for a nucleic acid with approximately 100 bp (= base pairs) in length and a G + C content of 50% in the absence of formamide. The skilled worker knows how to determine the hybridization conditions required by referring to textbooks such as the textbook mentioned above, or the following textbooks: Sambrook et al, "Molecular Cloning", Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1989; Hames and Higgins (Ed.) 1985, "Nucleic Acids Hybridization: A Practical Approach", IRL Press at Oxford University Press, Oxford; Brown (Ed.) 1991, "Essential Molecular Biology: A Practical Approach", IRL Press at Oxford University Press, Oxford. Alternatively, polynucleotide variants are obtainable by PCR-based techniques such as mixed oligonucleotide primer- based amplification of DNA, i.e. using degenerated primers against conserved domains of a polypeptide of the present invention. Conserved domains of a polypeptide may be identified by a sequence comparison of the nucleic acid sequence of the polynucleotide or the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide of the present invention with sequences of other organisms. As a template, DNA or cDNA from bacteria, fungi, plants or, preferably, from animals may be used. Further, variants include polynucleotides comprising nucleic acid sequences which are at least 70%>, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%), at least 95%, at least 98%> or at least 99% identical to the specifically indicated nucleic acid sequences. Moreover, also encompassed are polynucleotides which comprise nucleic acid sequences encoding amino acid sequences which are at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98% or at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequences specifically indicated. The percent identity values are, preferably, calculated over the entire amino acid or nucleic acid sequence region. A series of programs based on a variety of algorithms is available to the skilled worker for comparing different sequences. In this context, the algorithms of Needleman and Wunsch or Smith and Waterman give particularly reliable results. To carry out the sequence alignments, the program PileUp (J. Mol. Evolution., 25, 351- 360, 1987, Higgins et al, CABIOS, 5 1989: 151-153) or the programs Gap and BestFit [Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. 48; 443-453 (1970)) and Smith and Waterman (Adv. Appl. Math. 2; 482-489 (1981))], which are part of the GCG software packet (Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, USA 53711 (1991)), are to be used. The sequence identity values recited above in percent (%) are to be determined, preferably, using the program GAP over the entire sequence region with the following settings: Gap Weight: 50, Length Weight: 3, Average Match: 10.000 and Average Mismatch: 0.000, which, unless otherwise specified, shall always be used as standard settings for sequence alignments.

A polynucleotide comprising a fragment of any of the specifically indicated nucleic acid sequences is also encompassed as a variant polynucleotide of the present invention. The fragment shall still encode an immunogenic polypeptide which still has the activity as specified. Accordingly, the immunogenic polypeptide encoded may comprise or consist of the domains of the immunogenic polypeptide of the present invention conferring the said biological activity. A fragment as meant herein, preferably, comprises at least 50, at least 100, at least 250 or at least 500 consecutive nucleotides of any one of the specific nucleic acid sequences or encodes an amino acid sequence comprising at least 20, at least 30, at least 50, at least 80, at least 100 or at least 150 consecutive amino acids of any one of the specific amino acid sequences.

The polynucleotides of the present invention either consist, essentially consist of, or comprise the aforementioned nucleic acid sequences. Thus, they may contain further nucleic acid sequences as well. Specifically, the polynucleotides of the present invention may encode fusion proteins wherein one partner of the fusion protein is an immunogenic polypeptide being encoded by a nucleic acid sequence recited above. Such fusion proteins may comprise as additional part polypeptides for monitoring expression (e.g., green, yellow, blue or red fluorescent proteins, alkaline phosphatase and the like) or so called "tags" which may serve as a detectable marker or as an auxiliary measure for purification purposes. Tags for the different purposes are well known in the art and are described elsewhere herein.

The polynucleotide of the present invention shall be provided, preferably, either as an isolated polynucleotide (i.e. isolated from its natural context) or in genetically modified form. The polynucleotide, preferably, is DNA, including cDNA, or is R A. The term encompasses single as well as double stranded polynucleotides. Moreover, preferably, comprised are also chemically modified polynucleotides including naturally occurring modified polynucleotides such as glycosylated or methylated polynucleotides or artificial modified one such as biotinylated polynucleotides. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a vector comprising the polynucleotide according to the present invention.

The term "vector", preferably, encompasses phage, plasmid, viral or retroviral vectors as well artificial chromosomes, such as bacterial or yeast artificial chromosomes. Moreover, the term also relates to targeting constructs which allow for random or site- directed integration of the targeting construct into genomic DNA. Such target constructs, preferably, comprise DNA of sufficient length for either homologous or heterologous recombination as described in detail below. The vector encompassing the polynucleotide of the present invention, preferably, further comprises selectable markers for propagation and/or selection in a host. The vector may be incorporated into a host cell by various techniques well known in the art. For example, a plasmid vector can be introduced in a precipitate such as a calcium phosphate precipitate or rubidium chloride precipitate, or in a complex with a charged lipid or in carbon-based clusters, such as fullerenes. Alternatively, a plasmid vector may be introduced by heat shock or electroporation techniques. Should the vector be a virus, it may be packaged in vitro using an appropriate packaging cell line prior to application to host cells. Retroviral vectors may be replication competent or replication defective. In the latter case, viral propagation generally will occur only in complementing host/cells. In a preferred embodiment, the vector is a bacterial vector, preferably having a pl5A origin of replication and/or carrying a kanamycin resistance gene.

More preferably, in the vector of the invention the polynucleotide is operatively linked to expression control sequences allowing expression in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells or isolated fractions thereof. Expression of said polynucleotide comprises transcription of the polynucleotide, preferably into a translatable mRNA. Regulatory elements ensuring expression in eukaryotic cells, preferably mammalian cells, are well known in the art. They, preferably, comprise regulatory sequences ensuring initiation of transcription and, optionally, poly-A signals ensuring termination of transcription and stabilization of the transcript. Additional regulatory elements may include transcriptional as well as translational enhancers. Possible regulatory elements permitting expression in prokaryotic host cells comprise, e.g., the lac, trp or tac promoter in E. coli, and examples for regulatory elements permitting expression in eukaryotic host cells are the AOX1 or GAL1 promoter in yeast or the CMV-, SV40-, RSV-promoter (Rous sarcoma virus), CMV-enhancer, SV40-enhancer or a globin intron in mammalian and other animal cells. Moreover, inducible expression control sequences may be used in an expression vector encompassed by the present invention. Such inducible vectors may comprise tet or lac operator sequences or sequences inducible by heat shock or other environmental factors. Suitable expression control sequences are well known in the art. Beside elements which are responsible for the initiation of transcription such regulatory elements may also comprise transcription termination signals, such as the SV40-poly-A site or the tk-poly-A site, downstream of the polynucleotide. In this context, suitable expression vectors are known in the art such as Okayama-Berg cDNA expression vector pcDVl (Pharmacia), pBluescript (Stratagene), pCDM8, pRc/CMV, pcDNAl, pcDNA3 (InVitrogene) or pSPORTl (GIBCO BRL). Preferably, said vector is an expression vector and a gene transfer or targeting vector. Expression vectors derived from viruses such as retroviruses, vaccinia virus, adeno-associated virus, herpes viruses, or bovine papilloma virus, may be used for delivery of the polynucleotides or vector of the invention into targeted cell population. Methods which are well known to those skilled in the art can be used to construct recombinant viral vectors; see, for example, the techniques described in Sambrook, Molecular Cloning A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (1989) N.Y. and Ausubel, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Green Publishing Associates and Wiley Interscience, N.Y. (1994). In a preferred embodiment, the vector is a bacterial expression vector carrying the nucleic acid sequence encoding the immunogenic polypeptide under the control of the tac promoter; thus more preferably, said the vector additionally carries a gene encoding an expressible gene encoding a functional lac inhibitor.

Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the vector is a bacterial expression vector, preferably having a pl5A origin of replication, carrying a kanamycin resistance gene, a gene encoding an expressible gene encoding a functional lac inhibitor, and encoding the immunogenic polypeptide under the control of the tac promoter. More preferably, the vector is a vector comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 82. The present invention also relates to a host cell comprising the polynucleotide according to the present invention and/or the vector according to the present invention.

As used herein, the term "host cell" relates to any cell capable of receiving and, preferably maintaining, the polynucleotide and/or the vector of the present invention. More preferably, the host cell is capable of expressing an immunogenic polypeptide of the present invention encoded on said polynucleotide and/or vector. Preferably, the cell is a bacterial cell, more preferably a cell of a common laboratory bacterial strain known in the art, most preferably an Escherichia strain, in particular an E. coli strain. Also preferably, the host cell is an eukaryotic cell, preferably a yeast cell, e.g. a cell of a strain of baker's yeast, or is an animal cell. More preferably, the host cell is an insect cell or a mammalian cell, in particular a mouse or rat cell. Most preferably, the host cell is a mammalian cell.

The present invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the immunogenic polypeptide according to the present invention, the polynucleotide according the present invention, the vector according the present invention, and/or the host cell according to the present invention; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The term "pharmaceutical composition", as used herein, relates to a composition comprising the compound or compounds of the present invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable form and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The compounds of the present invention can be formulated as pharmaceutically acceptable salts. Acceptable salts comprise acetate, methylester, HC1, sulfate, chloride and the like. The pharmaceutical compositions are, preferably, administered topically or systemically. Suitable routes of administration conventionally used for drug administration are oral, intravenous, or parenteral administration as well as inhalation. Preferably, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is administered via a parenteral route, preferably subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intraperitoneally. In case the subject is a human, administration preferably is intramuscularly. However, polynucleotide compounds may also be administered in a gene therapy approach by using viral vectors, viruses or liposomes, and may also be administered topically, e.g. as an ointment. Moreover, the compounds can be administered in combination with other drugs either in a common pharmaceutical composition or as separated pharmaceutical compositions wherein said separated pharmaceutical compositions may be provided in form of a kit of parts. In particular, coadministration of adjuvants is envisaged, as specified elsewhere herein. Preferably, the immunogenic polypeptide, the polynucleotide and the pharmaceutical composition are provided in lyophilized form.

The compounds are, preferably, administered in conventional dosage forms prepared by combining the drugs with standard pharmaceutical carriers according to conventional procedures. These procedures may involve mixing, granulating and compressing or dissolving the ingredients as appropriate to the desired preparation. It will be appreciated that the form and character of the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent is dictated by the amount of active ingredient with which it is to be combined, the route of administration and other well-known variables. The carrier(s) must be acceptable in the sense of being compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation and being not deleterious to the recipient thereof. The pharmaceutical carrier employed may be, for example, either a solid, a gel or a liquid. Exemplary of solid carriers are lactose, terra alba, sucrose, talc, gelatin, agar, pectin, acacia, magnesium stearate, stearic acid and the like. Exemplary of liquid carriers are phosphate buffered saline solution, syrup, oil such as peanut oil and olive oil, water, emulsions, various types of wetting agents, sterile solutions and the like. Similarly, the carrier or diluent may include time delay material well known to the art, such as glyceryl mono-stearate or glyceryl distearate alone or with a wax. Said suitable carriers comprise those mentioned above and others well known in the art, see, e.g., Remington ^' s Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pennsylvania.

The diluent(s) is/are preferably selected so as not to affect the biological activity of the immunogenic polypeptide, polynucleotide, vector, or host cell and potential further pharmaceutically active ingredients. Examples of such diluents are distilled water, physiological saline, Ringer's solutions, dextrose solution, and Hank's solution. In addition, the pharmaceutical composition or formulation may also include other carriers, adjuvants, or nontoxic, nontherapeutic, nonimmunogenic stabilizers and the like.

A therapeutically effective dose refers to an amount of the compounds to be used in a pharmaceutical composition of the present invention which prevents, ameliorates or treats a condition referred to herein. Therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of compounds can be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell culture or in experimental animals, e.g., by determining the ED50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population) and/or the LD50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population). The dose ratio between therapeutic and toxic effects is the therapeutic index, and it can be expressed as the ratio, LD50/ED50.

The dosage regimen will be determined by the attending physician, preferably taking into account relevant clinical factors and, preferably, in accordance with any one of the methods described elsewhere herein. As is well known in the medical arts, a dosage for any one patient may depend upon many factors, including the patient's size, body surface area, age, the particular compound to be administered, sex, time and route of administration, general health, and other drugs being administered concurrently. Progress can be monitored by periodic assessment. A typical dose can be, for example, in the range of 1 μg to 10000 μg, preferably per day; however, doses below or above this exemplary range are envisioned, especially considering the aforementioned factors. Generally, the regimen as a regular administration of the pharmaceutical composition should be in the range of 1 μg to 10 mg units per day. If the regimen is a continuous infusion, it should also be in the range of 1 μg to 10 mg units per kilogram of body weight per hour, respectively. However, depending on the subject and the mode of administration, the quantity of substance administration may vary over a wide range to provide from about 0.01 mg per kg body mass to about 10 mg per kg body mass, preferably. The pharmaceutical compositions and formulations referred to herein are administered at least once in order to treat or prevent a disease or condition recited in this specification. However, the said pharmaceutical compositions may be administered more than one time, for example from one to four times daily up to a non-limited number of days.

Specific pharmaceutical compositions are prepared in a manner well known in the pharmaceutical art and comprise at least an immunogenic polypeptide, polynucleotide, vector, or host cell as an active compound in admixture or otherwise associated with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. For making those specific pharmaceutical compositions, the active compound(s) will usually be mixed with a carrier or the diluent, or enclosed or encapsulated in a capsule, sachet, cachet, paper or other suitable containers or vehicles. The resulting formulations are to be adopted to the mode of administration, i.e. in the forms of tablets, capsules, suppositories, solutions, suspensions or the like. Dosage recommendations shall be indicated in the prescriber or user instructions in order to anticipate dose adjustments depending on the considered recipient.

The present invention further relates to a kit comprising an immunogenic polypeptide according to the present invention and an adjuvant. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method of vaccinating a subject against HPV infection comprising

(a) contacting said subject with an immunogenic polypeptide according to the present invention, a polynucleotide according to the present invention, a vector according to the present invention, and/or a host cell according to the present invention, and

(b) thereby, vaccinating said subject against HPV infection.

The method of vaccinating of the present invention, preferably, is an in vivo method. Moreover, it may comprise steps in addition to those explicitly mentioned above. For example, further steps may relate, e.g., to contacting said subject with an adjuvant as specified elsewhere herein, and/or repeating said contacting with a compound of the present invention to enhance immune response. In the method of vaccinating, the subject, preferably, is a mammal, more preferably is a human.

Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for producing antibodies against an HPV L2 polypeptide, comprising

(a) contacting a subject with an immunogenic polypeptide according to the present invention, a polynucleotide according to the present invention, a vector according to the present invention, and/or a host cell according to the present invention, and

(b) harvesting antibodies generated by said subject from a bodily fluid of said subject and/or harvesting cells producing said antibodies from said subject.

The method for producing antibodies of the present invention, preferably, is an in vivo method performed on a, preferably non-human, subject. Preferably, the non-human subject is sacrificed after the method is performed. Moreover, the method may comprise steps in addition to those explicitly mentioned above. For example, further steps may relate, e.g., to purifying the antibodies harvested, or fusing the cells harvested to generate cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies according to well known methods. Also, one or more of the method steps may be performed by automated equipment. In view of the above, the following embodiments are preferred:

1. An immunogenic polypeptide comprising a multitude of human papillomavirus (HPV) L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 50 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are L2 N-terminal peptides from at least two different HPV genotypes.

2. The immunogenic polypeptide of embodiment 1, wherein said multitude is a number of at least 3, preferably at least 5, more preferably 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1, or 12, even more preferably 7, 8, or 9, most preferably 8 HPV L2 N-terminal peptides.

3. The immunogenic polypeptide of embodiment 1 or 2, wherein said multitude is a number of from 3 to 11, preferably of from 5 to 10, more preferably of from 7 to 9, most preferably 8 HPV L2 N-terminal peptides. 4. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16. 5. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are L2 N-terminal peptides from at least four, preferably at least five, more preferably 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12, most preferably 8, different HPV genotypes; or are variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide.

6. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides are L2 N-terminal peptides from at least four, preferably at least five, more preferably 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12, most preferably 8, different HPV genotypes. 7. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprise L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82 or variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide; preferably wherein said HPV L2 N- terminal peptides comprise L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59 or variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide.

8. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprise L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82; preferably wherein said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprise L2 N- terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51 and 59.

9. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide comprises three copies, more preferably two copies, most preferably one copy of each of said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides.

10. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82 or variants thereof comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide. 11. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, L2 N-terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 56, 59 and 82.

12. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, one copy each of L2 N- terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59 or is a variant of said polypeptide comprising a multitude of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide.

13. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide exclusively comprises, preferably consists of, one copy each of L2 N- terminal peptides of HPV genotypes 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51 and 59.

14. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide comprises said HPV L2 N-terminal peptides in the sequence HPV 16- 18-31-33-35-39-45-51-56-59-82, more preferably in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-6-51-59, preferably in a directly contiguous sequence, more preferably separated by a 5, 3 or 2 amino acid linker.

15. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein said multitude HPV L2 N-terminal peptides comprises, preferably consists of SEQ ID NO: 25 or 26 or is a variant of said immunogenic polypeptide comprising at most two, preferably at most one amino acid substitution(s) per HPV L2 N-terminal peptide.

16. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide comprises, preferably consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 25 or 26.

17. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 16, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide is devoid of an L2 N-terminal peptide of HPV genotype(s) 39, 45, 56, and/or 82. 18. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 17, further comprising an oligomerization domain, preferably wherein said oligomerization domain is at least one of

(i) an oligomerization domain of a C4-binding protein, preferably of a mammalian C4- binding protein, more preferably of a human or mouse C4-binding protein, most preferably of a mouse C4-binding protein;

(ii) an encapsulin polypeptide, preferably an encapsulin polypeptide from a thermophilic archaebacterium, more preferably a Pyrococcus furiosus encapsulin polypeptide;

(iii) a ferritin polypeptide, preferably a ferritin polypeptide from a thermophilic archaebacterium, more preferably a Pyrococcus furiosus ferritin polypeptide; and

(iv) a hybrid polypeptide of two different chicken C4-binding proteins, preferably an

IMX313Tpolypeptide.

19. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein said oligomerization domain comprises, preferably consists of, SEQ ID NO: 55 or 56.

20. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 19, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide further comprises an enhancer of immunogenicity, preferably at the N-terminus and/or at the C-terminus of said immunogenic polypeptide. 21. The immunogenic polypeptide of embodiment 20, wherein said enhancer of immunogenicity is a CD4+ T-helper epitope or is a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence RGD.

22. The immunogenic polypeptide of embodiment 21 , wherein said CD4+ T-helper epitope comprises at least one of

(i) p25 from the carboxyl region of Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein;

(ii) p2 peptide from tetanus toxin;

(iii) p30 peptide from tetanus toxin; and

(iv) a Pan HLA-DR reactive epitope (PADRE).

23. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 21 or 22, wherein said CD4+ T-helper epitope comprises, preferably consists of, SEQ ID NO: 57.

24. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 23, wherein said multitude of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides is comprised in a thioredoxin polypeptide. 25. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 24, wherein said thioredoxin is a human, bacterial, or an archaebacterial thioredoxin. 26. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 25, wherein said thioredoxin is a thioredoxin of a thermophilic archaebacterium, preferably of Pyrococcus furiosus, preferably having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 53.

27. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 26, wherein said multitude of HPV L2 N-terminal peptides is comprised in the display site of said thioredoxin.

28. The immunogenic polypeptide of any one of embodiments 1 to 27, wherein said immunogenic polypeptide is a fusion polypeptide, preferably wherein the elements of said immunogenic polypeptide are contiguous in amino acid sequence.

29. An immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28 for use in medicine.

30. An immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28 for use in vaccination against HPV infection.

31. The immunogenic polypeptide for use of embodiment 27, wherein said vaccination is vaccination against at least the HPV genotype 6, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51, and 59 infection, preferably is vaccination against at least the HPV genotype 5, 6, 11 , 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51 and 59 infection.

32. The immunogenic polypeptide for use of embodiment 30 or 31, wherein said vaccination is vaccination against HPV genotype 31, 35 and 51 infection. 33. The immunogenic polypeptide for use of any one of embodiments 30 to 32, wherein said vaccination further comprises administering an adjuvant, said adjuvant preferably comprising (i) alum and a toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist, preferably synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), and/or (ii) a squalene-based oil-in- water nano-emulsion, preferably AddaVax™. 34. A immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28 for use in generating antibodies specifically recognizing an HPV L2 polypeptide.

35. A polynucleotide encoding the immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28.

36. A vector comprising the polynucleotide according to embodiment 35.

37. A host cell comprising the polynucleotide according to embodiment 35 and/or the vector according to embodiment 36.

38. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28, the polynucleotide according to embodiment 35, the vector according to embodiment 36, and/or the host cell according to embodiment 37; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

39. A kit comprising an immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28 and an adjuvant, said adjuvant preferably comprising (i) alum and a toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist, preferably synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), and/or (ii) a squalene- based oil-in-water nano-emulsion, preferably AddaVax™.

40. A method of vaccinating a subject against HPV infection comprising

(a) contacting said subject with an immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28, a polynucleotide according to embodiment 35, a vector according to embodiment 36, and/or a host cell according to embodiment 37, and

(b) thereby, vaccinating said subject against HPV infection.

41. The method of vaccinating a subject of embodiment 40, further comprising administering an adjuvant, said adjuvant preferably comprising (i) alum and a toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist, preferably synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), and or (ii) a squalene-based oil-in-water nano-emulsion, preferably AddaVax™.

42. A method for producing antibodies against an HPV L2 polypeptide, comprising (a) contacting a subject with an immunogenic polypeptide according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28, a polynucleotide according to embodiment 35, a vector according to embodiment 36, and/or a host cell according to embodiment 37, and

(b) harvesting antibodies generated by said subject from a bodily fluid of said subject and/or harvesting cells producing said antibodies from said subject.

All references cited in this specification are herewith incorporated by reference with respect to their entire disclosure content and the disclosure content specifically mentioned in this specification.

Figure Legends

Fig. 1 : Induction of neutralizing antibody titers by various immunogenic polypeptides comprising Padre sequences in mice; heteromeric PfTrx-8mer and PfTrx-l lmer constructs were compared to a mixture of PfTrx-homotrimers (Mix 16/18/51). Panels show titers of neutralizing titers measured in mice against A) HPV16, B) HPV18, C) HPV31, D) HPV45, E) HPV33, F) HPV51, G) HPV35, H) HPV52, and I) HPV58; each value indicated represents one mouse, horizontal lines indicate mean values. Fig. 2: Induction of neutralizing antibody titers by various immunogenic polypeptides comprising IMX sequences in mice; a homotrimeric HPV16 L2 N-terminal peptide was used as an IMX- fusion, as a PfTrx- fusion, or as a fusion protein containing both IMX and PfTrx. Panels show titers of neutralizing titers measured in mice against A) HPV16, B) HPV18, and C) HPV45; each value indicated represents one mouse, horizontal lines indicate mean values.

Fig. 3: Comparison of adjuvants. PfTrx containing homotrimeric HPV16 L2 N-terminal peptide and further comprising IMX or not was used as an antigen (Trx-L2-IMX, pfTrx-L2-IMX and Trx-L2), A) and B. Moreover, the constructs were compared to mixed 8mer and l lmer constructs, C) to G). Panels show titers of neutralizing titers measured in 9 to 10 mice against A) HPV16, B) HPV18; C) HPV16, D) HPV18, E) HPV33, F) HPV51, and G) HPV58. AM: Alum/MPLA; each value indicated represents one mouse, horizontal lines indicate mean values.

Fig. 4: Induction of neutralizing antibody titers by various immunogenic polypeptides comprising IMX sequences in mice; a homotrimeric HPV16 L2 N-terminal peptide was compared to heteromeric PfTrx-8mer and PfTrx-l lmer constructs. Panels show titers of neutralizing titers measured in mice against A) HPV16, B) HPV18, C) HPV31, D) HPV33, E) HPV35, F) HPV39, G) HPV45, H) HPV51, I) HPV52, and K) HPV58; each value indicated represents one mouse, horizontal lines indicate mean values. Fig. 5: Induction of neutralizing antibody titers by various immunogenic polypeptides as indicated. Panels show titers of neutralizing titers measured in mice against A) HPV16, B) HPV18, C) HPV31, D) HPV33, E) HPV35, F) HPV39, G) HPV45, H) HPV51, I) HPV52, and K) HPV58; each value indicated represents one mouse, horizontal lines indicate mean values. Fig. 6: Amino acid sequences of immunogenic polypeptides according to the invention: A) l lmer heteromeric polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 25), B) 8mer heteromeric polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 26), C) l lmer heteromeric polypeptide comprised in P. furiosus thioredoxin (SEQ ID NO: 27, A) 1 lmer heteromeric polypeptide comprised in P. furiosus thioredoxin (SEQ ID NO: 29).

Fig. 7: Neutralization titers of sera from mice (N=10; A)) and guinea pigs (N=2;B)) in a pseudovirion-based neutralization assay (PBNA); the antigen used was PfTrx 8mer-IMX3T3 (SEQ ID NO:43); each dot represents a value obtained with serum from one animal.

Fig. 8: Neutralization titers of sera from mice (N=10; A)) and guinea pigs (N=2; B)) in an L2- enhanced pseudovirion-based neutralization assay (L2-PBNA); the antigen used was PfTrx 8mer-IMX3T3 (SEQ ID NO:43); each dot represents a value obtained with serum from one animal.

The following Examples shall merely illustrate the invention. They shall not be construed, whatsoever, to limit the scope of the invention.

Example 1 : Generation of Immunogens and Immunization

In the experiments, various constructs were used: The PfTrx8mer is a P. furiosus thioredoxin with HPV L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16 in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-6-51-59; the PfTrxl lmer is a P. furiosus thioredoxin with HPV L2 N-terminal peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16 in the sequence HPV 16-18-31-33-35-39-45-51-56-59-82. The term Mix 16/31/51 relates to a mixture of P. furiosus thioredoxins comprising three HPV16 L2 N-terminal identical peptides corresponding to amino acids 20 to 38 of the L2 polypeptide of HPV16 derived from HPV 16, HPV31, and HPV51, respectively. Immunogens comprising the designation "Padre" comprised an additional Padre sequence, immunogens comprising the designation "imx" comprised an additional imx domain. For comparison, corresponding constructs comprising homotrimeric or monomeric HPV 16 L2 N-terminal peptides were used (SEQ ID NOs: 62 to 81).

Constructs as indicated were obtained by standard recombinant DNA techniques and molecular cloning according to methods known from textbooks, followed by production in E. coli and purification as described herein below. Immunogenic polypeptides were obtained essentially as described earlier (WO 2010/070052), and as described herein below.

6-8-weeks-old female BALB/c mice were purchased from Charles River Laboratories and were kept in an animal facility under specific pathogen-free conditions. Mice were immunized intramuscularly four times at biweekly intervals with antigens mixed with adjuvants. For the Alum/MPLA experiment 20 μg of the antigen adjuvanted with 50 μg aluminium hydroxide (Brenntag) and 10 μg synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA, AvantiLipids). In case of Montanide ISA720 (Seppic, France) and Addavax™ (InvivoGen), 20 μg of the antigen was mixed with 50%V/V of an adjuvant. Guinea pigs were immunized according to standard protocols.

Example 2: Pseudovirion-based neutralization assays

Pseudovirion-based neutralization assays (PBNAs) were performed essentially as described in WO 2011/151335. Briefly, 50 μΐ of diluted serum was combined with 50 μΐ of diluted pseudovirion and incubated at room temperature for 20 min. Next, 50 μΐ of HeLa T cells (2.5 x 105 cells/ml) was added to the pseudovirion-antibody mixture and incubated for 48 h at 37°C humidified incubator. The amount of secreted Gaussia luciferase was determined in 10 μΐ of cell culture medium using the Gaussia glow juice kit (PJK, Germany) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The light emissions of samples were measured 15 minutes after substrate addition.

For the L2-enhanced pseudovirion-based neutralization assay (L2-PBNA), which has essentially the same sensitivity for anti-Ll antibodies, but a strongly increased sensitivity to anti-L2 antibodies, the PBNA was modified essentially as described in Day et al. (2012), Clinical and Vaccine Immunology 19(7): 1075. Briefly, in the L2-PBNA, HPV pseudovirions are bound to extracellular matrix and treated with furin, which causes better exposure of L2. Only after this treatment, the actual PBNA is performed. Results of the L2-PBNA with mouse and guinea pig sera are shown in Fig. 8.

Example 3: IMX-Trx-L2(20-38)8-mer vaccine production and purification

Standard procedures were used for bacterial transformation and IPTG-mediated induction (overnight at 30°C) of recombinant antigen expression. Following sonication- lysis of induced bacterial cells, recovery of the soluble fraction by centrifugation (10,000 x g, 15 min), one freezing/thawing cycle applied to the supernatant and an additional centrifugation step as above, the solubilized bacterial lysate was loaded onto a heparin-affinity chromatography column (Hi- Trap Heparin, GE Healthcare equilibrated in 25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 100 mM NaCl at a flow of 1.0 ml/min. In a typical medium-scale preparation, 50 ml of soluble lysate, derived from a 500 ml bacterial culture, were applied to a 1 ml Hi-Trap Heparin column, which was eluted with a 30 ml, 0.1 M-2.0 M NaCl linear gradient in starting buffer. As revealed by SDS-PAGE analysis of the eluted protein (native MW: 248,339; subunit MW: 35,477), heparin-affinity fractionation afforded a nearly 90% antigen purification in a single step. When necessary, further purification (practically to a near-homogeneity, 100% level) was achieved by gel filtration chromatography on a Superdex 200 column (24 ml; GE Healthcare) equilibrated and run in 25 mM Tris/HCl-150 mM NaCl at a flow-rate of 0.7 ml/min.