A Universal Antigen Delivery Platform for Enhanced Immune Response
Description of Invention:
The present invention relates to a universal antigen delivery platform based on rotavirus NSP2 fusion proteins and methods for the use of such fusion proteins to enhance an immune response to an antigen. This technology can potentially be used for rapid production of subunit vaccines against a wide range of infectious agents. Additional uses of the technology include development of diagnostic systems and production of specific antisera for research purposes. The antigen delivery platform comprises a monomeric fusion protein including: (a) a self-aggregating polypeptide component (e.g. a viral NSP2 polypeptide); (b) a linear linking peptide; and (c) an antigenic polypeptide. Upon expression in prokaryotic or eukaryotic systems, multiple monomeric fusion protein subunits form a self-aggregating stable multimeric ring structure, which allows multivalent display of the antigen and enhances the immune response. Additionally, this delivery platform can be efficiently produced and recovered and is physically robust. The patent application also includes pharmaceutical compositions of vaccines for prophylactic and therapeutic administration.
Inventors: John T. Patton and Zenobia F. Taraporewala (NIAID)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-322-2004/0 --
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/633,036 filed 03 Dec 2004
U.S. Patent Application No. 11/293,654 filed 02 Dec 2005
Relevant Publication:
P Schuck et al. Rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP2 self-assembles into octamers that undergo ligand-induced conformational changes. J Biol Chem. 2001 Mar 30;276(13):9679-9687. Epub 2000 Dec 19, doi:10.1074/jbc.M009398200. [PubMed abs]
H Jayaram et al. Rotavirus protein involved in genome replication and packaging exhibits a HIT-like fold. Nature. 2002 May 16;417(6886):311-315, doi:10.1038/417311a. [PubMed abs]
Licensing Status: In addition to licensing, the technology is available for further development through collaborative research opportunities with the inventors.
Portfolios: Infectious Diseases
Infectious Diseases -Vaccines
For Additional Information Please Contact: Kevin Chang Ph.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: 301/435-5018
Email: changke@mail.nih.gov
Fax: 301/402-0220
