Licensing & Royalties >> Licensing Opportunities >> Abstract Details   Anti-Plasmodium Compositions and Methods of Use (E-004-2004) Description of Invention: The present invention comprises peptides/antibodies specific for the binding proteins of Plasmodium, a parasite responsible for malaria, hence in effect blocking the parasite’s binding to the erythrocytes. Also included are methods for their use in preventing, diagnosing or treating the related infections. Although malaria is virtually eradicated in the United States, it continues to be one of the most serious infectious diseases in the world, killing millions of people each year in the countries throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. In fact, over 41% of the world population lives in the regions affected by malaria. In vitro studies using the antibodies described in the current technology showed ~80% reduction in the number of blood cells infected with Plasmodium parasite. Infectivity studies using peptides demonstrated that they are also specifically able to prevent binding of parasites to blood cells. The claimed antibodies and peptides can also be used for immunization of humans and animals, or for development of diagnostic kits capable of detecting the presence, localization and quantity of the Plasmodium parasites in tissues and cells. Applications: Diagnostics development Vaccines development Inventors: David L. Narum and Kim Lee Sim (NIAID) Patent Status: DHHS Reference No. E-004-2004/2 -- U.S. Patent No. 7,025,961 issued 11 Apr 2006 Australian Patent No. 20042011615 issued 11 May 2007 Canadian Application No. CA236247 Japanese Application No. JP2000-602280 (published as JP,2002-540770,A) Relevant Publication: BK Sim, DL Narum, H Liang, SR Fuhrmann, N Obaldia 3rd, R Gramzinski, J Aguiar, JD Haynes, JK Moch, SL Hoffman. Induction of biologically active antibodies in mice, rabbits, and monkeys by Plasmodium falciparum EBA-175 region II DNA vaccine. Mol Med. 2001 Apr;7(4):247-254. [PubMed abs] DL Narum, JD Haynes, S Fuhrmann, K Moch, H Liang, SL Hoffman, BK Sim. Antibodies against the Plasmodium falciparum receptor binding domain of EBA-175 block invasion pathways that do not involve sialic acids. Infect Immun. 2000 Apr;68(4):1964-1966. [PubMed abs] H Liang, DL Narum, SR Fuhrmann, T Luu, BK Sim. A recombinant baculovirus-expressed Plasmodium falciparum receptor-binding domain of erythrocyte binding protein EBA-175 biologically mimics native protein. Infect Immun. 2000 Jun;68(6):3564-3568. [PubMed abs] Licensing Status: Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. Portfolios: Infectious Diseases Infectious Diseases -Diagnostics-Parasitic Infectious Diseases -Diagnostics Infectious Diseases -Therapeutics Infectious Diseases -Vaccines For Additional Information Please Contact: RC Tang JD, LLM NIH Office of Technology Transfer 6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325 Rockville, MD 20852-3804 Phone: 301/435-5031 Email: tangrc@mail.nih.gov Fax: 301/402-0220 Web Ref: 1856 Last Updated On: 12/08