Technology Transfer Highlights
In FY 2006, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) participated in, and the Office of Technology Development (OTD) negotiated or facilitated, the following public-private partnerships:
Development of Novel Diagnostic Assays for Early Detection and Monitoring of Infectious and Immune Disorders in Human Using a Proprietary Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Technology (BioVeris)
New sensitive diagnostic tests are essential to provide an "early warning signal" of emerging infections or autoimmune processes leading to organ destruction. Such tests will permit the development of earlier and more effective interventions. The purpose of this collaborative agreement is to develop such new diagnostic tests using the proprietary technology of the Collaborator and use these new diagnostic tests to conclusively investigate the possibility of early diagnosis and monitoring of human infectious and immunological disorders to promote new scientific knowledge and advance public health.
Rational Design of HIV Envelope Glycoprotein Variants for Structural and Immunological Analysis Using X-Ray Crystallography to Elicit Broadly Neutralizing HIV-1 Antibodies (IAVI)
Under this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, investigators in the Structural Virology and Structural Biology Section of the Vaccine Research Center at NIAID and The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) will jointly study the properties of HIV antibodies and immunogens that bind them. NIAID and IAVI will jointly develop immunogens that elicit broad HIV neutralization response.
Development of Live Attenuated Virus Vaccines for Respiratory Syncytial Viruses, Parainfluenza Viruses and Human Metapneumovirus (MedImmune)
Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV), the three human parainfluenza viruses (HPIV1, 2 and 3), and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which are members of the Paramyxovirus family of RNA viruses, are ubiquitous, worldwide agents of bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and croup and are responsible for one half or more of hospitalizations for pediatric respiratory tract disease. The Laboratory of Infectious Diseases of NIAID and MedImmune will collaborate to develop live attenuated intranasal vaccines that ameliorate the consequences of diseases caused by HRSV, HPIV1-3, and HMPV. The development of attenuated vaccine candidates relies on the use of technology termed "reverse genetics," which involves the recovery of infectious viruses from cloned cDNAs. This method provides for the systematic manipulation of vaccine virus to obtain optimal levels of attenuation, safety, and immunogenicity. The intranasal route of administration provides for direct stimulation of local mucosal immunity as well as systemic immunity, and it partially avoids the suppressive effects of serum antibodies present in the young infant as maternally derived antibodies. Primarily, the efforts will be focused on generating a safe and effective vaccine for use in pediatric populations; and secondary goals will include evaluating multiple candidates in other groups at high risk for HRSV disease, including the elderly.
Evaluation of a Salivary Antigen Leishmania DNA Vaccine in Dogs (Merial)
NIAID and Merial Limited of London, England and Delaware, USA, are working together to make and evaluate the first vector-based candidate vaccine to combat canine leishmaniasis. Current efforts are focused on evaluating candidate DNA vaccines which express salivary gland proteins of the sand flies that carry the Leishmania pathogen which causes the disease leishmaniasis, a severe parasitic disease in dogs. An effective veterinary vaccine will provide significant benefit to veterinary medicine and may pave the way for human vaccines against leishmaniasis. The vaccination of animals may also have a significant impact on the epidemiology of the disease by reducing the reservoirs of leishmaniasis and thus human disease.
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