<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>NIH OTT RSS Feed - Infectious Diseases - </title><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/rss/default.aspx</link><description>Office of Technology Transfer (OTT).</description><copyright>Copyright 2009 NIH Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). All rights reserved.</copyright><item><title>Live Attenuated RSV Vaccines Based on Codon-Pair Deoptimization</title><description><![CDATA[The technology includes patent rights and related materials for live attenuated viruses that can be used as a prophylactic vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus. The viruses are generated using codon-pair deoptimization techniques, resulting in attenuation based on hundreds or thousands of nucleotide substitutions with no differences at the amino acid level. Various permutations are based on deoptimization of the RSV polymerase ORF, the F and G glycoprotein ORFs, the  NS1, NS2, N, P, M, and SH ORFs, or all of these in combination. Experimental growth data for representative viruses in mice and in African Green Monkeys demonstrated in vivo growth attenuation.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2570</link><pubDate>2013-06-06</pubDate></item><item><title>Novel Fusion Proteins for HIV Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[The subject invention describes novel fusion proteins (CD4i antibody-HIV-1 envelop glycoprotein (gp120)) which can be used as 1) potential vaccine immunogens that could be more efficient than gp120 alone; 2) candidate therapeutics; and 3) research reagents for exploration of HIV-1 gp120 conformational flexibility, elucidation of mechanisms of virus entry, and evasion of immune responses.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2567</link><pubDate>2013-05-30</pubDate></item><item><title>A Novel Human Antibody for Deploying CH2 Based Therapeutics</title><description><![CDATA[The subject invention describes a novel human antibody (anti-CH2 Fab m01m1) which could be used safely in vitro and in vivo for the detection of CH2 (Fc and IgG as well). More specifically, anti-CH2 Fab m01m1 recognizes a conformational epitope on CH2 so it can be used to monitor the conformational changes when CH2 is modified and mutated, as well as to select proper folded isolated CH2 domains. Thus, anti-CH2 Fab m01m1 is a powerful research reagent for developing the CH2-based novel therapeutics (nanoantibodies, nAbs) and for identifying several binders against various antigens from CH2-based libraries.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2568</link><pubDate>2013-05-30</pubDate></item><item><title>A Novel HIV-1 Entry Inhibitor</title><description><![CDATA[The subject invention describes a novel polypeptide comprising a single human CD4 domain (mD1.22) which is highly soluble and stable with significantly higher neutralizing activity and lower non-specific binding to human blood cell lines.  More specifically, mD1.22 is highly promising for several applications due to its biophysical properties:  1) for conjugating with cytotoxic molecules for eradication of HIV-infected cells; 2) for generating multi-specific multi-valent HIV inhibitors with high neutralization potency and breadth, and relatively small molecular size; 3) for generating nanobio-sensors for rapid HIV detection; and 4) for studying the biological functions of CD4 in immune responses and HIV entry.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2566</link><pubDate>2013-05-22</pubDate></item><item><title>A Diagnostic Kit for Assessing Exposure or Infection by the Koala Family of Retroviruses</title><description><![CDATA[Inventors at the NIH have discovered a new family of infectious koala retroviruses that are correlated with the development of malignant neoplasias, including lymphomas and leukemias. This invention relates to a diagnostic kit for assessing exposure or infection by a koala retrovirus. The kit consists of specific primers and probes for the detection of three distinct subtypes of infectious koala retrovirus and may be useful in various species, including humans, primates, and koalas. Infectious koala retroviruses have been shown to infect human cells in culture, though the health implications in humans have not yet been fully determined.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2561</link><pubDate>2013-05-10</pubDate></item><item><title>Parvovirus B19 Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[Parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection causes fifth disease, a disease characterized by rashes to the face and other parts of the body that primarily affects children.  However, adults can also develop fifth disease and it can lead to more severe conditions.  Patients that are immunocompromised, such as those who are HIV infected, organ transplant recipients, and cancer patients, can be particularly susceptible to more severe outcomes from B19V infection.  Infection can also cause anemia and in pregnant women, it can lead to hydrops fetalis.

The subject technologies are expression vectors for the production of B19V VP1 and VP2 capsid proteins.  Co-expression of the two proteins produce empty virus-like particles (VLPs) that can be used to develop a vaccine against parvovirus B19 and a packaging system for infectious B19V virus.  Different expression vectors have been developed and optimized for expression in insects cells and more recently in mammalian cell lines such as 293, Cos7, Hela cells and 293T cells.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2560</link><pubDate>2013-05-07</pubDate></item><item><title>Antimalarial Inhibitors that Target the Plasmodial Surface Anion Channel (PSAC) Protein and Development of the PSAC Protein as Vaccine Targets</title><description><![CDATA[There are two related technologies, the first being small molecule inhibitors of the malarial plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) and the second being the PSAC protein itself as a vaccine candidate.  The PSAC protein is produced by the malaria parasite within host erythrocytes and is crucial for mediating nutrient uptake.  In vitro data show that the PSAC inhibitors are able to inhibit growth of malaria parasites, have high specificity, and low toxicity.  Portions of the PSAC protein are found on the outer surface of infected host erythrocytes and the protein was recently shown to be encoded by the clag3 gene.  This discovery opens the possibility of developing the PSAC protein as a potential vaccine candidate against malaria.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2488</link><pubDate>2013-04-23</pubDate></item><item><title>New Molecules for HIV Therapeutics: Fab, scFv, and Related Binding Molecules Specific for HIV-1 Rev</title><description><![CDATA[The invention offered for licensing and commercial development is in the field of HIV therapeutics. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and compositions for treating and/or inhibiting HIV infection or any other lentivirus. The invention describes the identification, though phage display, of a chimeric rabbit/human anti-Rev Fab (SJS-R1) that can inhibit polymerization of the HIV Rev protein and thus inhibit its normal function in virus replication. The Fab binds with very high affinity to a conformational epitope in the N-terminal half of HIV-1 Rev. The corresponding single chain antibody (scFv) was also prepared and characterized. Methods of making and using SJS-R1 Fab and SJS-R1 scFv, and antibodies and antibody fragments that share at least one CDR with SJS-R1 Fab, are provided. Specific described methods include methods of preventing or reversing polymerization of HIV Rev, methods of reducing infectivity of replication of a lentivirus, inhibiting Rev function in a cell infected with a lentivirus, and methods of treating a disease or symptom associated with Rev expression in an animal.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2242</link><pubDate>2013-04-17</pubDate></item><item><title>Improved Standard for Immune System Recovery Assay</title><description><![CDATA[Monitoring an immune system that has been depleted by infection (e.g., HIV), chemotherapy, or progenitor cell transplantation is vital to assessing individual?s recovery status. This technology provides a new plasmid standard to be used as part of the existing TREC assay. This new plasmid has a shorter insert than the commercially available one, which means it now matches the PCR product generated in the qPCR reaction in the TREC assay. Additionally, the new plasmid is easier to grow up than the existing standard.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2251</link><pubDate>2013-04-17</pubDate></item><item><title>HIV-Neutralizing Polypeptides: A Novel Use for Platelet Factor 4 or Its Derivatives</title><description><![CDATA[The subject invention describes the method for using Platelet Factor 4 (PF4), also called CXCL4, to inhibit HIV viral entry by blocking GP120 independent of HIV receptor. It also demonstrates that the active polypeptide fragment(s) of PF-4 could be used to identify potential peptide mimics or small molecules that could be used to inhibit HIV infection. PF4 and/or its derivatives may be developed as a systemic therapy or preventive measure using topical applications, such as microbicides. In addition, CXCL4 serum/plasma testing could be used as a clinical marker of HIV disease status to predict/monitor the efficacy of treatment and determine the prognosis of a subject with HIV infection.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2547</link><pubDate>2013-04-04</pubDate></item><item><title>Infectious Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 Recombinants ? Prospective Vaccine Candidates and Vector System</title><description><![CDATA[This technology is a recombinant, infectious genotype 3 Hepatitis E virus (HEV) that has been adapted to grow in cell culture and can potentially be used to develop vaccines against HEV or as a vector system to insert exogenous sequences into HEV.  The virus (strain Kernow-C1, genotype 3) originated from a chronically infected human subject and was adapted to grow in human hepatoma cells.  The adapted virus is unique in that it contains an insertion of a portion of a human ribosomal protein in Open Reading Frame 1 of the virus.  Desired exogenous sequences can potentially be placed in lieu of the insert without inactivating the virus.

Infection by HEV is a relevant health issue in a number of developing countries and is also an emerging food-borne disease of industrialized countries.  Genotype 1 and 2 infections are found exclusively in humans while genotype 3 and 4 viruses have been found not only in humans, but also swine, deer, mongoose, cattle, and rabbits.  In particular, genotype 3 and 4 viruses are ubiquitously found in swine and undercooked pork is thought to be one of the sources of infection for cases of human infections in industrialized countries.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2329</link><pubDate>2013-03-21</pubDate></item><item><title>Human Antibodies and Fusion Proteins with Potent and Broad HIV-1 Neutralizing Activity</title><description><![CDATA[The inventions listed below provide multiple novel human anti-HIV-1 domain antibodies (m36 and its affinity- matured versions) and their fusion proteins with two-domain or single-domain human soluble CD4 (sCD4) that can potentially be used alone or synergistically with other anti-HIV-1 antibodies and antiretroviral drugs as therapeutics and/or preventatives for infection by different HIV-1 strains.

Some of the inventions listed below also describe some fusion proteins as vaccine immunogens that could elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-isolates from different clades. One invention also describes the methods to prepare and use the immunogens in the vaccination for prevention of HIV-1 infections. More specifically, the later invention provides a vaccine composed of a primary immunogen and a secondary immunogen, and a method for making the vaccine which could be effective in eliciting desired broadly neutralizing antibodies. The primary immunogen could be effective in activating B cell receptors (BCRs) that are on the maturational pathways of the desired antibodies and have an intermediate degree of somatic mutational diversity. The secondary immunogen contains epitopes of the desired antibodies and could be effective in further diversifying the BCRs sufficiently to form mature BCRs that have the identical or substantially identical sequence as the desired antibodies.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2482</link><pubDate>2013-03-18</pubDate></item><item><title>Cross-Reactive Dengue Fully Human Monoclonal Antibodies</title><description><![CDATA[Among the arthropod-borne flaviviruses, the four dengue virus serotypes, dengue type 1 virus (DENV-1), dengue type 2 virus (DENV-2), dengue type 3 virus (DENV-3), and dengue type 4 virus (DENV-4) are most important in terms of human morbidity and geographic distribution. Dengue viruses cause dengue outbreaks and major epidemics in most tropical and subtropical areas where Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are abundant.

A safe and effective vaccine against dengue is currently not available. Passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies from non-human primates or humans represents a possible alternative to vaccines for prevention of illness caused by dengue virus.  This invention claims fully human monoclonal antibodies that bind and neutralize dengue type 1, 2, 3 and 4 viruses.  It also claims fragments of such antibodies and nucleic acids encoding the antibodies of the invention as well as prophylactic, therapeutic and diagnostic methods employing the antibodies and nucleic acids of the invention.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2508</link><pubDate>2013-03-18</pubDate></item><item><title>Novel Diagnostic Marker for Prediction of Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus Infection</title><description><![CDATA[One of the unfortunate aspects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is that the majority of infected individuals will develop a chronic HCV infection. The current treatment for HCV infection involves direct acting antiviral drugs, such as HCV protease inhibitors, with or without pegylated IFN-alpha/ribavirin. Not all patients respond to treatments and the treatments themselves can cause severe adverse effects.  The subject invention (IFNL4-deltaG) is a novel genetic polymorphism in the newly discovered Interferon Lambda 4 (IFNL4) gene, which is located near the IFNL3 (former IL28B) gene. The IFNL4-deltaG polymorphism can predict the likelihood of whether or not a patient will respond to treatment of HCV and, possibly, of other diseases treated with IFN-alpha (or other interferons). In particular, IFNL4-deltaG was found to be a better predictor of clinical outcome for IFN-alpha based treatment in people of African descent than the currently available diagnostic test (?IL28B? genotype, defined by rs12979860 located within first intron of IFNL4). The predictive value of the IFNL4-deltaG polymorphism for response to IFN-alpha based treatment in HCV-infected Caucasians and Asians is comparable to current diagnostics.  In addition, IFNL4-deltaG can predict the likelihood of a whether a person who is acutely infected with HCV infection will spontaneously clear the infection or develop chronic infection. As with treatment outcome, among individuals of African ancestry, genotype for IFNL4-deltaG is a better predictive marker for spontaneous clearance of HCV than ?IL28B? genotype, while providing similar predictive value in individuals of European or Asian descent.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2538</link><pubDate>2013-03-18</pubDate></item><item><title>Novel Host Target for Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection</title><description><![CDATA[The subject technology is a newly discovered Interferon-lambda 4 (IFNL4) protein found through analysis of genomic data derived from primary human hepatocytes, molecular cloning and functional annotation. The IFNL4 protein is related to but distinct from other know IFNs and its expression is inducible in conditions that mimic viral infection. Preliminary studies indicate that this protein may play a role in impaired natural and treatment induced clearance of HCV. These findings suggest that the protein can potentially be a new target for treating HCV infection.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2539</link><pubDate>2013-03-18</pubDate></item><item><title>Oral Shigellosis Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[This application claims a Salmonella typhi Ty21a construct comprising a Shigella sonnei O-antigen biosynthetic gene region inserted into the Salmonella typhi Ty21a chromosome, where heterologous Shigella sonnei form 1 O-antigen is stably expressed together with homologous Salmonella typhi O-antigen.  The constructs of this invention elicit immune protection against virulent Shigella sonnei challenge, as well as Salmonella Typhi challenge.  Also claimed in this application are methods of recombineering a large antigenic gene region into a bacterial chromosome.

Bacillary dysentery and enteric fevers continue to be important causes of morbidity in both developed and developing nations.  Shigella cause greater than one hundred and fifty million cases of dysentery and enteric fever occurs in greater than twenty-seven million people annually.  Currently, there is no licensed vaccine to prevent the occurrence of shigellosis.  Increasing multiple resistance in Shigella commonly thwarts local therapies.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2528</link><pubDate>2013-02-26</pubDate></item><item><title>Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) for Detection of DNA or RNA and Identification of a Disease or Pathogen</title><description><![CDATA[The NIH announces a novel method for fast, simple, and accurate detection of nucleic acids outside the modern laboratory.  Nucleic acid testing is highly specific and often provides definitive identification of a disease or pathogen.  Methods to detect nucleic acid sequences and identify a disease or pathogen are dominated by PCR, but applying PCR-based techniques in remote settings is challenging. Researchers at the NIH have developed a universal, colorimetric, nucleic acid-responsive diagnostic system that uses two short peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes and does not rely on PCR.  The design of a cyclopentane-modified surface probe and a biotin-containing reporter probe allows excellent DNA and RNA detection.  NIH researchers have specifically demonstrated this technology's suitability for early detection of HIV RNA or anthrax DNA.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2535</link><pubDate>2013-02-21</pubDate></item><item><title>Novel Vaccine for Prevention and Treatment of Chlamydia Infection</title><description><![CDATA[The invention provides novel vectors, attenuated pathogens, compositions, methods and kits for preventing and/or treating chlamydia infections.

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular human pathogen with a unique biphasic developmental growth cycle. It's the etiological agent of trachoma, the world's leading cause of preventable blindness and the most common cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease. C. trachomatis isolates maintain a highly conserved plasmid and naturally occurring plasmidless clinical isolates are rare, implicating its importance in chlamydial pathogenesis. Understanding the plasmid's role in chlamydial pathogenesis at a molecular level is an important objective for the future control of chlamydial infections. The NIAID inventor had studied chlamydia strains in both non-human primate and murine infectious models providing evidence that plasmids play an important role in chlamydial pathogenesis. In addition, the study results of macaque model of trachoma supports the use of plasmid-deficient organisms as novel live-attenuated chlamydial vaccines.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2536</link><pubDate>2013-02-21</pubDate></item><item><title>Small, Stable, Functional, Soluble, Monomeric IgG1 Fc Molecules Engineered Therapies</title><description><![CDATA[This technology relates to small (~27 kDa) antibody fragments that are potentially useful for therapeutic development.  These are monomeric IgG fragment crystalizable (mFc) compositions; they are long half-lived, functional (pH dependent binders of neonatal Fc receptor - FcRn); and they are soluble and express efficiently in E. coli.  These molecules may serve as a platform for development of engineered mFc-based antibodies and fusion proteins with therapeutic applications.  Efforts to engineer antibody-based therapeutics, to date, have encountered technical limitations due to the relatively large fragment size and short fragment half-life.  The IgG fragment crystalizable (Fc) is a dimer of two constant domains (CH2-CH3 chains).  Fc has a long half-life, which makes it promising as a candidate for engineering antibody therapeutics.  Fusion proteins based on Fc dimer molecules demonstrate extended half-life, due to the ability to bind FcRn at acidic pH.  However, the relatively large size of the Fc domains (~50 kD) is not optimal.  This technology uses smaller (~27 kDa) mFc compositions that retain efficient binding to human FcRn and demonstrate long half-life.  These mFc compositions are promising for the development of novel therapeutics because the smaller size may allow for superior access to targets and tissues compared to full sized mAbs and larger fragment-based therapeutics, while also retaining important function characteristics.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2512</link><pubDate>2013-02-19</pubDate></item><item><title>Live Oral Shigella dysenteriae Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[This application claims a Salmonella typhi Ty21a construct comprising a Shigella dysenteriae O-specific polysaccharide (O-Ps) inserted into the Salmonella typhi Ty21a chromosome, where heterologous Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 O-antigen is stably expressed together with homologous Salmonella typhi O-antigen.  The constructs of this invention elicit immune protection against virulent Shigella dysenteriae challenge, as well as Salmonella typhi challenge.  Also claimed in this application are methods of making the constructs of this invention and methods for inducing an immune response.

Shigella cause millions of cases of dysentery every year, which result in about seven hundred thousand deaths worldwide.  Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1, one of about forty serotypes of Shigella, causes a more severe disease with a much higher mortality rate than other serotypes.  There are no licensed vaccines available for protection against Shigella.  The fact that many isolates exhibit multiple antibiotic resistance complicates the management of dysentery infections.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2527</link><pubDate>2013-02-16</pubDate></item><item><title>Mice Genetically Deficient in the Chemoattractant Receptor FPR (formyl peptide receptor)</title><description><![CDATA[The present research tool is a knockout mouse model (FPR-/-) that lacks the high affinity N-formylpeptide receptor (FPR), created by targeted gene disruption. 

N-formylpeptides derive from bacterial and mitochondrial proteins, and bind to specific receptors on mammalian phagocytes.  Since binding induces chemotaxis and activation of phagocytes in vitro, it has been postulated that N-formylpeptide receptor signaling in vivo may be important in antibacterial host defense, although direct proof has been lacking.  The inventors have found that FPR-/- mice have no obvious developmental defects and do not develop spontaneous infection when derived in specific pathogen-free conditions.  This suggests that, under these conditions, FPR is dispensable.  However, when challenged with L. monocytogenes, FPR-deficient mice have accelerated mortality and increased bacterial burden in liver and spleen early after infection, which suggests a role for FPR in host defense, specifically through regulation of innate immunity.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1574</link><pubDate>2013-02-15</pubDate></item><item><title>Improved Bacterial Host for Production of Anthrax Toxin Proteins and Vaccines: Bacillus anthracis BH450</title><description><![CDATA[Anthrax toxin has previously been made from various avirulent strains of Bacillus anthracis.  The inventors have genetically engineered a new strain of B. anthracis with improved properties.  The strain, designated BH450, is totally deficient in the ability to make spores and to produce a major extracellular protease designated Peptidase M4.  The genetic lesions introduced are defined, true deletions, so there is no possibility of reversion.  Inability to make spores assures that laboratories growing the strain will not become contaminated with the very stable anthrax spores.  Inability to make peptidase M4 increases the stability of proteins such as anthrax toxin that are secreted to the culture medium.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1599</link><pubDate>2013-02-15</pubDate></item><item><title>Hepatitis C Virus Cell Culture System</title><description><![CDATA[Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic liver disease and is a major global health problem with an estimated 170 million people affected worldwide and 3-4 million new cases every year.  Therapeutic advances will be greatly aided by the ability of researchers to successfully replicate and characterize the virus in vitro.  The study of HCV replication has, however, been hindered by the lack of an efficient virus culture system.  One approach, using cell culture adaptive mutations in the viral RNA has been found to significantly enhance HCV virus production, but it has been difficult to define which stage of the viral lifecycle is affected by a given adaptive mutation. 

NIH researchers have now developed a single-cycle virus production system that allows the stage of the viral lifecycle affected by a specific adaptive mutation to be determined.  They have isolated a unique subclone of Huh 7 Hepatoma cells, S29, that permits HCV replication and infectious virion release, but is resistant to infection by HCV.  This permits the use of single cycle growth studies, and removes the confounding effects of virus re-infection allowing progress to be made on structure/function studies, or on studies of the effects of drugs on replication and virus assembly.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1646</link><pubDate>2013-02-15</pubDate></item><item><title>Murine Monoclonal Antibodies Effective To Treat Respiratory Syncytial Virus</title><description><![CDATA[Available for licensing through a Biological Materials License Agreement are the murine MAbs described in Beeler et al, "Neutralization epitopes of the F glycoprotein of respiratory syncytial virus: effect of mutation upon fusion function," J Virol. 1989 Jul;63(7):2941-2950 (PubMed abs).  The MAbs that are available for licensing are the following: 1129, 1153, 1142, 1200, 1214, 1237, 1112, 1269, and 1243.  One of these MAbs, 1129, is the basis for a humanized murine MAb (see U.S. Patent 5,824,307 to humanized 1129 owned by MedImmune, Inc.), recently approved for marketing in the United States.  MAbs in the panel reported by Beeler et al. have been shown to be effective therapeutically when administered into the lungs of cotton rats by small-particle aerosol.  Among these MAbs several exhibited a high affinity (approximately 109M-1) for the RSV F glycoprotein and are directed at epitopes encompassing amino acid 262, 272, 275, 276 or 389.  These epitopes are separate, nonoverlapping and distinct from the epitope recognized by the human Fab of U.S. Patent 5,762,905 owned by The Scripps Research Institute.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=352</link><pubDate>2013-02-14</pubDate></item><item><title>Full-Length cDNA Clone Representing the Consensus Sequence of the RNA Genome of a Human Norovirus (strain MD145-12) That Encodes Biologically Active Proteins</title><description><![CDATA[The invention provides for a full-length cloned cDNA copy of the RNA genome of a predominant norovirus strain (Genogroup II.4) designated MD145-12 that was associated with human gastrointestinal illness.  The noroviruses, which were formerly known as "Norwalk-like" viruses are estimated to cause 23 million cases of acute gastroenteritis in the USA each year.  The virus has been designated into category B of the CDC biodefense-related priority pathogens because it can be used as an agent of bioterrorism.  The subject cDNA clone of the virus encodes proteins of the MD145-12 strain that, when expressed in vitro, exhibit properties that would be expected from those produced by the original infectious virus.  This cDNA clone is presently the only source to obtain norovirus proteins to facilitate studies aimed at developing control strategies such as vaccines and therapeutic drugs.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=903</link><pubDate>2013-02-14</pubDate></item><item><title>Enzymatically-Active RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase From a Human Norovirus (Calicivirus)</title><description><![CDATA[The noroviruses (formerly known as ?Norwalk-like viruses?) are associated with gastroenteritis outbreaks, affecting large numbers of individuals each year.  Emerging data are supporting their increasing recognition as important agents of diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality.  The frequency with which noroviruses are associated with gastroenteritis as ?food and water-borne pathogens? has led to the inclusion of caliciviruses as Category B Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases.  Because the noroviruses cannot be propagated by any means in the laboratory, an important strategy in their study is to development of molecular biology-based tools and replication systems.  This invention reports the isolation of the first recombinant, enzymatically-active proteinase and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex for a human norovirus.  This enzyme should facilitate studies aimed at developing therapeutic drugs for norovirus disease.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=908</link><pubDate>2013-02-14</pubDate></item><item><title>Construction of an Infectious Full-Length cDNA Clone of the Porcine Enteric Calicivirus RNA Genome</title><description><![CDATA[Porcine enteric calicivirus (PEC) is a member of the genus Sapovirus in the family Caliciviridae.  This virus causes diarrheal illness in pigs, and is presently the only enteric calicivirus that can be grown in cell culture.  In addition to its relevance to veterinary medicine as a diarrheal agent in pigs, PEC serves as an important model for the study of enteric caliciviruses that cause diarrhea and that cannot be grown in cell culture (including the noroviruses represented by Norwalk virus).  The development of an infectious cDNA clone is important because it enables the use of ?reverse genetics? to engineer mutations of interest into the genome of PEC and to study their effects.  In addition, it allows the introduction of foreign coding sequences into the genome of PEC that could be useful for vaccine development in swine and possibly humans.  This discovery has both basic research applications such as mapping mutations involved in tissue culture adaptation, tissue tropism, and virulence as well as practical applications such as providing a genetic backbone for the development of chimeric vaccine viruses.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=909</link><pubDate>2013-02-14</pubDate></item><item><title>Construction of Recombinant Baculoviruses Carrying the Gene Encoding the Major Capsid Protein, VP1, From Calicivirus Strains (Including Norovirus Strains Toronto, Hawaii, Desert Shield, Snow Mountain, and MD145-12)</title><description><![CDATA[The noroviruses (known as "Norwalk-like viruses") are associated with an estimated 23,000,000 cases of acute gastroenteritis in the United States each year.  Norovirus illness often occurs in outbreaks, affecting large numbers of individuals, illustrated recently by well-publicized reports of gastroenteritis outbreaks on several recreational cruise ships and in settings such as hospitals and schools.  Norovirus disease is clearly important in terms of medical costs and missed workdays, and accumulating data support its emerging recognition as important agents of diarrhea-related morbidity.

Because the noroviruses cannot be propagated by any means in the laboratory, an important strategy in their study is the development of molecular biology-based tools.  This invention reports the development of recombinant baculoviruses carrying the capsid gene from several caliciviruses associated with human disease.  Growth of these baculovirus recombinants in insect cells results in the expression of virus-like particles (VLPs) that are antigenically indistinguishable from the native calicivirus particle.  These VLPs can be purified in large quantities for use as diagnostic reagents and potential vaccine candidates.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=910</link><pubDate>2013-02-14</pubDate></item><item><title>HIV Therapeutics Utilizing Peptide Secreting Commensal Bacteria</title><description><![CDATA[A patent estate covering genetically engineered commensal bacteria compositions and their methods of use that secrete HIV infectivity interfering peptides with the aid of co-expressed translocation mediators, such as HylB, HylD or tolC gene products. The bacteria can be, for example, Escherichia coli, and are preferably those that colonize the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tracts. The secreted anti-HIV peptide can be a functional inhibitory fragment from the C-terminus of HIV, SHIV or SIV, or an inhibitory peptide derived from the N-terminus receptor-binding domain of SIV gp41, HIV-1 gp41, or HIV-2 gp41. The secreted anti-HIV peptide can also be a peptide from the allosteric domain of gp120, an extracellular loop of CCR5, an anti-CD4 immunoglobulin, a mimetic of CD4, an alpha-defensin or theta-defensin, a CD38 fragment homologous to the V3 loop of gp120, polphemusin II (a CXCR4 antagonist), or a RANTES peptide that binds to CCR5 or an HIV surface binding peptide, such as cyanovirin.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1000</link><pubDate>2013-02-13</pubDate></item><item><title>Human Cells and Nanoparticles to Enhance Immunotherapy</title><description><![CDATA[NIH scientists have developed human cells and nanoparticles to enhance immunotherapy. Specifically, researchers have identified that cells or nanoparticles expressing a high temperature requirement serine peptidase 1 (HtrA1) activator and/or a cytokine-induced Src homology 2 protein (CIS) inhibitor are capable of increasing T cell activity. These compositions can be used primarily in T cell immunotherapy against various cancers and infectious diseases where enhanced T cell activity is beneficial. Conversely, cells or nanoparticles that express a HtrA1 inhibitor and/or a CIS activator can suppress T cell activity. These compositions can be utilized to treat various auto- or alloimmune diseases and can be used to prevent transplant rejections.

HtrA1 (also known as L56, ARMD7, ORF480, and PRSS11) is a serine protease that is known to inhibit the TGF-beta family proteins. CIS (also known as G18, SOCS, CIS-1, and CISH) is a member of the suppression of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of proteins and inhibit the JAK/STAT signaling pathways. CIS acts to inhibit HtrA1 and repress cell activation targets. Immunotherapy, although an effective treatment strategy, sometimes fails when cells lose activity. T cells adoptively transferred into patients where CIS is inhibited and/or HtrA1 is activated should maintain their activity and lead to more successful adoptive T cell transfers.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2301</link><pubDate>2013-02-13</pubDate></item><item><title>Therapeutic Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies</title><description><![CDATA[Therapeutic antibodies against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) have not been very effective in the past and there is evidence that this may result in part from interfering antibodies generated during infection that block the action of neutralizing antibodies. These neutralizing antibodies prevent HCV infection of a host cell.

The subject technologies are monoclonal antibodies against HCV that can neutralize different genotypes of HCV. Both antibodies bind to the envelope (E2) protein of HCV found on the surface of the virus. One of the monoclonal antibodies neutralizes HCV genotype 1a, the most prevalent HCV strain in the U.S., infection and in vitro data show that it is not blocked by interfering antibodies. The second antibody binds a conserved region of E2 and can cross neutralize a number of genotypes including genotypes 1a and 2a. The monoclonal antibodies have the potential to be developed either alone or in combination into therapeutic antibodies that prevent or treat HCV infection. These antibodies may be particularly suited for preventing HCV re-infection in HCV patients who undergo liver transplants; a population of patients that is especially vulnerable to the side effects of current treatments for HCV infection.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2524</link><pubDate>2013-02-05</pubDate></item><item><title>Live Attenuated Rubella Vector to Express Vaccine Antigens</title><description><![CDATA[Live attenuated viruses make potent and effective vaccines. Despite the urgent need for an HIV vaccine, this approach has not been feasible because it has not been possible to attenuate the virus reliably and guarantee vaccine safety. Instead, live viral vectors have been proposed that could present HIV vaccine antigens in the most immunogenic way, in the context of an active infection.

The inventors have adapted a rubella vaccine strain as a vector to express HIV and SIV antigen and tested the effect of insert size and composition on vector stability and viral titer. The inventors have identified an acceptor site in the rubella nonstructural gene region, where foreign genes can be expressed as a fusion protein with the nonstructural protein P150 without affecting essential viral functions. The inserts were expressed as early genes of rubella, under control of the rubella genomic promoter. At this site, HIV and SIV antigens were expressed stably for at least seven passages, as the rubella vectors reached high titers. Rubella readily infects rhesus macaques, and these animals will provide an ideal model for testing the new vectors for replication in vivo, immunogenicity and protection against SIV or SHIV challenge.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2525</link><pubDate>2013-02-05</pubDate></item><item><title>DNA Promoters and Anthrax Vaccines</title><description><![CDATA[Currently, the only licensed vaccine against anthrax in the United States is AVA BioThrax?, which, although efficacious, suffers from several limitations. This vaccine requires six injectable doses over 18 months to stimulate protective immunity, requires a cold chain for storage, and in many cases has been associated with adverse effects.

This application claims a modified B. anthracis protective antigen (PA) gene for optimal expression and stability, linked it to an inducible promoter for maximal expression in the host, and fused to the secretion signal of the Escherichia coli alpha-hemolysin protein (HlyA) on a low-copy-number plasmid. This plasmid was introduced into the licensed typhoid vaccine strain, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain Ty21a, and was found to be genetically stable. Immunization of mice with three vaccine doses elicited a strong PA-specific serum immunoglobulin G response with a geometric mean titer of 30,000 (range, 5,800 to 157,000) and lethal-toxin-neutralizing titers greater than 16,000. Vaccinated mice demonstrated 100% protection against a lethal intranasal challenge with aerosolized spores of B. anthracis 7702.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2526</link><pubDate>2013-02-05</pubDate></item><item><title>Multivalent Meningiococcal Conjugates and Methods for Preparing Conjugates</title><description><![CDATA[Among 13 isolated meningococcal serogroups, A, B, C, W-135 and Y are the most prevalent.  There are three FDA-approved capsular polysaccharide (PS)-based vaccines, one tetravalent PS vaccine, and two tetravalent conjugate vaccines for protection against meningococcal disease caused by groups A, C, W-135 and Y Neisseria meningitidis.  Group B capsular PS is similar to the PS structure expressed in certain human tissues, thus making it a poor immunogen.  Furthermore, if used as a vaccine, the possibility exists of it inducing an autoimmune response.  Thus, a need remains to develop additional meningococcal vaccines, particularly for group B and group X meningococcal serogroups.

This application claims immunogenic conjugates including at least one polysaccharide conjugated to a group B factor H binding protein (fHbp).  Also claimed are immunogenic conjugates including at least one polysaccharide conjugated to a Neisserial surface protein A (NspA).  Additionally, improved methods for preparing conjugates are claimed.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2516</link><pubDate>2013-01-23</pubDate></item><item><title>Transmission-Blocking Malaria Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[There is no vaccine for malaria, and there is growing resistance to existing anti-malarial drugs.  Sexual stage-specific antigens are of interest as vaccine candidates because disruption of these antigens would reduce the fertility and, thus, the infectivity of the parasite.

This invention claims methods and compositions for delivering a Plasmodium P47 vaccine or antibody to P47 to prevent Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax malaria.  P47 and other antigens have been mentioned as potential transmission-blocking vaccines due to their surface location on gametes.  The gene for P47 antigens is also well characterized.  Recent discoveries have noted that P47 allows the parasite to suppress or evade the immune system, thereby ensuring the mosquitoes' survival.  Recent discoveries have also shown the mechanism by which P47 enables survival of the parasite by manipulation of the mosquito immune system.  Based on the critical role of P47 antigens in transmission, the disruption of the function of P47 by various means can be an innovative and forceful means to control and/or reduce the prevalence of malaria.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2506</link><pubDate>2013-01-11</pubDate></item><item><title>Methods and Composition for Identification of Variants of JC Virus DNA; An Etiologic Agent for Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML)</title><description><![CDATA[JC Virus causes a fatal disease in the brain called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) that occurs in many patients with immunocompromised conditions.  The finding of JCV DNA in the patients with neurological symptoms of PML is a diagnostic criterion and is needed to confirm the diagnosis of PML to rule out other neurological conditions.  Certain JC virus variants are known to have a greater association with PML.  For example, "Prototype" JC virus is far more pathogenic than "Archetype" JC virus.

This invention claims novel assays for identifying Archetype and/or Prototype JC virus by detecting the presence or absence of the unique Archetype nucleic acid sequence in the non-coding regulatory region of JC virus.  While the sequences of Archetype and Prototype JC virus are known, these are the first assays that allow discrimination between Prototype and Archetype JC virus in a simple assay without the need for DNA sequencing.  The identification of a JC virus as a prototype can lead to early treatment of infected individuals.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2507</link><pubDate>2013-01-11</pubDate></item><item><title>Typhoid-Plague Bivalent Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) bacteria is the causative agent of plague, typically transmitted from animals to humans by the bite of an infected flea. Y. pestis infection of the lungs leads to pneumonic plague, which is highly contagious and generally fatal. Y. pestis is a potential bioterrorist threat agent for which no vaccine yet exists.

This invention claims the generation and development of a candidate oral vaccine against plague. The vaccine consists of a synthetic gene construct that expresses a Y. pestis F1-V fusion antigen linked to a secretion signal, resulting in the production of large amounts of the F1-V antigen. The F1-V synthetic gene fusion is housed within Ty21a, an attenuated typhoid fever strain that is licensed for human use as a live oral bacterial vaccine. Ty21a serves as a carrier to deliver the F1-V fusion antigens of the plague bacteria; the combined F1-V fusion in the Ty21a carrier has been shown to stimulate a robust immune response in mice. The possibility of combining the oral plague vaccine of this invention with FDA?s candidate oral anthrax vaccine exists and would result in an easy-to-administer oral delivery system to streamline administration of the vaccine to large numbers of recipients in emergency situations.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2509</link><pubDate>2013-01-11</pubDate></item><item><title>Exposing T cells to Fas Ligand (FasL)-Fas Receptor (FasR) Antagonists Withholds Differentiation and Increases Expansion Making T cells More Suitable for Use in Cancer Immunotherapy</title><description><![CDATA[NIH scientists have developed methods to make a better immunotherapy by exposing T cells to Fas ligand (FasL) or Fas receptor (FasR) antagonists and agonists. Researchers have found that FasL-FasR antagonists suppress T cell differentiation leaving them in a na?ve state. These T cells are a more ideal cell type for adoptive cell transfer therapies because they have not exhausted their effector functions and demonstrate greater proliferation, enhanced persistence and survival, and better activity against their target antigen when infused in vivo to treat cancer. Also, the prevention of T cell differentiation/effector function in vivo has implications for autoimmune diseases and syndromes. FasL-FasR agonists enhance T cell differentiation towards more effector-like cells. Enhancing the differentiation of T cells is expected to be useful in treating cell proliferation disorders, such as leukemias, lymphomas, or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

FasL (or cluster of differentiation 95L) is a transmembrane protein in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family. FasR (or apoptosis antigen 1, CD95, or TNF receptor superfamily member 6) is a transmembrane protein belonging to the TNF receptor/nerve growth factor receptor superfamily. Normally, when FasL binds to FasR, a cell death signal is triggered in the cell.  Antagonists of FasL-FasR interaction may include caspase inhibitors, mutated FasL/FasR, RNAi, or FasL/FasR antibodies. Agonists may include FasL/FasR encoding nucleotides.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2456</link><pubDate>2012-12-04</pubDate></item><item><title>Gag-Based DNA Vaccines Against HIV</title><description><![CDATA[Novel DNA vaccine constructs against HIV that express highly conserved elements (CE) within the HIV Gag protein and elicit strong, cross-clade cellular and humoral responses.  The DNA vaccine vectors were engineered to express CEs for protection against different clades of HIV and prevention of immunodominance, two issues associated with current HIV vaccine candidates.

In vivo studies of Rhesus macaques vaccinated with variants of these constructs expressing seven highly CEs covering >99 of all known Gag sequences elicited strong, cellular T-cell and humoral antibody immune responses.   The Gag-specific antibody responses were high titer and cross-clade.  Cross-clade protection is important given the sequence diversity of HIV as is the absence of immunodominant epitopes that generate antibodies which are not protective against HIV.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2503</link><pubDate>2012-11-21</pubDate></item><item><title>Topical Antibiotic with Immune Stimulating Oligodeoxynucleotide Molecules to Speed Wound Healing</title><description><![CDATA[The present technology provides a mean of improving the activity of topical antibiotics. Currently available topical antibiotic formulations effectively eliminate bacteria at a wound site.  But in eliminating bacteria in the wound, such antibiotics also eliminate the  molecular signals present in bacterial DNA that stimulate to immune system's wound healing processes.   Without these signals the rate of wound healing is diminished.  It would be desirable for topical antibiotics to remove infectious bacteria but also provide the immune stimulating signals needed to promote and accelerate healing.  The present formulation accomplishes these goals by supplementing the antibiotic formulation with immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN).  These ODN express the CpG motifs present in bacterial DNA and safely mimic the immune stimulation induced by bacterial DNA.  The formulation may be applied directly to a wide variety of wounds to  skin (such as traumatic, burn, or surgical wound), or the eyes (such as corneal abrasions) to effectively eliminate infection and stimulate rapid healing of the wound.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2487</link><pubDate>2012-11-19</pubDate></item><item><title>Cross-Reactive Neutralizing Human Domain Antibody Against HIV-1</title><description><![CDATA[The invention describes the first identified anti-HIV human domain antibody (m36), which can potentially be used alone or synergistically with other anti-HIV antibodies and antiretroviral drugs as a therapeutic and/or preventative for HIV infection.  It targets an epitope whose exposure is enhanced by binding of the HIV receptor CD4 to the HIV envelope glycoprotein (Env).  M36 was identified by sequential panning of a newly developed large human VH library against Envs from different HIV-1 isolates.  The antibody can neutralize HIV-1 primary isolates from different clades at low (nM) concentrations and due to its small size (14 kDa) is potentially able to efficiently penetrate lymphoid tissues where the virus replicates.  The antibody is fairly well characterized and the inventors are generating derivatives of this antibody to improve the half-life and increase its potency and cross-reactivity.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1809</link><pubDate>2012-09-28</pubDate></item><item><title>Method of Making a Vaccine</title><description><![CDATA[Current invention describes the methods to prepare vaccines, and to use such vaccines in the vaccination and treatment of human disease, e.g., the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and cancer. More specifically, the present invention provides a vaccine and method for making same which is effective to elicit a desired antibody against a target antigen comprising a primary immunogen and a secondary immunogen, wherein the primary immunogen is effective to elicit B cell receptors (BCRs) that are on the maturational pathway of the desired antibody and have an intermediate degree of somatic mutational diversity, and the secondary immunogen comprises an epitope of the desired target antibody and is effective to further diversify the BCRs sufficient to form mature BCRs having the identical or substantially identical sequence as the desired antibody.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1899</link><pubDate>2012-09-28</pubDate></item><item><title>Generation of Wild-Type Dengue Viruses for Use in Rhesus Monkey Infection Studies</title><description><![CDATA[Dengue virus is a positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the Flavivirus genus of the family Flaviviridae.  Dengue virus is widely distributed throughout the tropical and semitropical regions of the world and is transmitted to humans by mosquito vectors.  Dengue virus is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in children in at least eight tropical Asian countries.  There are four serotypes of dengue virus (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4) that annually cause an estimated 50-100 million cases of dengue fever and 500,000 cases of the more severe form of dengue virus infection known as dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHFIDSS).  This latter disease is seen predominately in children and adults experiencing a second dengue virus infection with a serotype different than that of their first dengue virus infection and in primary infection of infants who still have circulating dengue-specific maternal antibody.  A vaccine is needed to lessen the disease burden caused by dengue virus, but none is licensed.

Because of the association of more severe disease with secondary dengue virus infection, a successful vaccine must induce immunity to all four serotypes.  Immunity is primarily mediated by neutralizing antibody directed against the envelope (E) glycoprotein, a virion structural protein.  Infection with one serotype induces long-lived homotypic immunity and a short-lived heterotypic immunity.  Therefore, the goal of immunization is to induce a long-lived neutralizing antibody response against DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4, which can best be achieved economically using live attenuated virus vaccines.  This is a reasonable goal since a live attenuated vaccine has already been developed for the related yellow fever virus, another mosquito-borne flavivirus present in tropical and semitropical regions of the world.

The evaluation of live attenuated dengue vaccine candidates in rhesus monkeys requires wild type control viruses for each of the four dengue serotypes.  These control viruses are used for comparison to the attenuated strains and post-vaccination challenge to assess vaccine efficacy. As such, these viruses need to be well characterized and sufficiently pure to ensure that they will replicate to consistent levels in rhesus monkeys.  Characterization generally includes sequence analysis, titration, and evaluation in monkeys.  The following viruses have been characterized: (1) DEN1 WP (2) DEN1 Puerto Rico/94 (3) DEN2 NGC prototype (4) DEN2 Tonga/74 (5) DEN3 Sleman/78 and (6) DEN4 Dominica/81.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1736</link><pubDate>2012-09-12</pubDate></item><item><title>Antigenic Chimeric Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus/Dengue Virus Type 4 Recombinant Viruses</title><description><![CDATA[The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) complex is a group of viruses that can cause severe neutrotropic disease and up to thirty percent (30%) mortality.  While these viruses can be found in many parts of the world, the largest impact of the disease occurs in Europe and Russia, where approximately fourteen thousand (14,000) hospitalized TBEV cases occur annually.  TBEV is in the family Flaviviridae, genus flavivirus and is composed of a positive-sense single stranded RNA genome that contains 5' and 3' non-coding regions and a single open reading frame encoding ten (10) proteins.  At present, a vaccine or FDA approved antiviral therapy is not available.

The inventors have previously developed a WNV/Dengue4Delta30 antigenic chimeric virus as a live attenuated virus vaccine candidate that contains the WNV premembrane and envelope (prM and E) proteins on a dengue virus type 4 (DEN4) genetic background with a thirty nucleotide deletion (Delta30) in the DEN4 3'-UTR.  Using a similar strategy, the inventors have generated an antigenic chimeric virus, TBEV/DEN4Delta30.  This chimeric virus also contains attenuating mutations within the E and nonstructural NS5 proteins.  Preclinical testing results with the derived virus indicate that chimerization of TBEV with DEN4Delta30 and introduction of the attenuating mutations decreased neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence in mice.  The TBEV/DEN4delta30 vaccine candidate was safe, immunogenic, and provided protection in monkeys against challenge with TBE viruses.

This application claims live attenuated chimeric TBEV/DEN4Delta30 vaccine compositions.  Also claimed are methods of treating or preventing TBEV infection in a mammalian host, methods of producing a subunit vaccine composition, isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a TBEV immunogen, methods for detecting TBEV infection in a biological sample and infectious chimeric TBEV.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2005</link><pubDate>2012-08-31</pubDate></item><item><title>Methods of Treating Giardiasis Using FDA-Approved Compounds</title><description><![CDATA[This technology includes a group of at least twenty-nine, diverse, commercially available compounds that are newly identified for activity against Giardia lamblia parasites.  At least six of the candidate compounds, Bortezomib, Decitabine, Hydroxocobalamin, Amlexanox, Idarubicin, and Auranofin have preexisting FDA approval for human use for other (non-Giardia) conditions.  Another three compounds, Fumagillin, Nitarsone and Carbadox have preexisting approval for veterinary use for non-Giardia conditions.  Additional active compounds identified include:  Acivicin, Riboflavin butyrate, BTO-1, GW9662, Dinitroph-dfgp, Deserpidine, Tetramethylthiuram disulsulfide, Disulfiram, Mitoxantrone,  Ecteinascidin 743, 17-allyaminogeldanamycin, Carboquone and Nocodazole. The anti-Giardial activity of these compounds presents a cost saving opportunity for the rapid development of new, better tolerated treatments for the most prevalent human intestinal parasite infection in the United States and the world.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2307</link><pubDate>2012-08-17</pubDate></item><item><title>Filovirus Vaccines and Diagnostics Based on Glycoprotein-Fc Fusion Proteins</title><description><![CDATA[Ebola virus is a member of the Filoviridae, a family of viruses classified as ?Category A? bioterrorism agents that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates with high morbidity and mortality rates up to 90%.  This invention provides an efficacious Filovirus subunit vaccine based on a recombinant protein consisting of the extracellular domain of the Filovirus glycoprotein fused to an Fc Fragment of human immunoglobulin (FiloGP-Fc).  Vaccination with FiloGP-Fc elicited humoral and cellular immunity against Filoviruses.  The FiloGP-Fc vaccine induced antibodies that bound and neutralized replication-competent recombinant G-deleted Vesicular Stomatitis Virus containing the Filovirus GP (rVSV-FiloGP), and protected animals against Filovirus lethal challenge.  Also described are cellular and humoral immunity tests as well as rVSV-FiloGP neutralization tests to evaluate anti-Filovirus immune responses in individuals.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2315</link><pubDate>2012-08-17</pubDate></item><item><title>The Medusa? Sequencer: A DNA or RNA Sequencing Machine the Size of a Molecule</title><description><![CDATA[Current high-throughput DNA sequencing methods suffer from several limitations. Many methods require multiple fluid handling steps, fixing of molecules on beads or a 2D surface, and provide very short read-lengths. The NIH inventors offer a DNA or RNA sequencing device that drastically simplifies the process by combining all elements for sequence detection in a single molecule, the Medusa? Sequencer.

The Medusa? Sequencer utilizes Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) to read a polynucleotide sequence while synthesizing a complementary strand. The device consists of a DNA (or RNA) polymerase labeled with a FRET donor fluorophore and attached to a set of four flexible arms. The tip of each arm carries a distinct set including one nonhydrolyzable nucleotide and one FRET acceptor fluorophore. While a Medusa? Sequencer synthesizes a complementary polynucleotide strand, the four different arms continuously "test" the polymerase pocket creating a characteristic FRET signal for the correct nucleotide. The series of FRET signals reveals the unknown polynucleotide sequence.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1322</link><pubDate>2012-08-01</pubDate></item><item><title>Novel Infrared (IR)-Transparent Hydrophilic Membrane That Can be Used for Filtration, Printing or Microarrays, and Cultivation of Bacteria and Other Microorganisms for Reagent-Free IR Spectroscopic Identification</title><description><![CDATA[Available for licensing and commercial development is a novel, disposable infrared (IR)-transparent, microporous, plasma treated polyethylene hydrophilic membrane, as well as methods for making and using this membrane to identify bacterial and other micoorganism impurities in food using IR spectroscopy.  Further applications include: filtering dilute aqueous bacterial suspensions, and growing bacterial colonies when the PE membrane is placed over an agar medium and incubated.  The patent also describes a novel high-throughout technique, as an alternative to manual filtration, where the PE membrane is used for microarray printing of intact microorganisms in pre-enriched medium on the treated PE substrate.  Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of detecting mixtures of food-borne pathogens E. sakazakii and K. pneumonia, by using the treated PE membranes.  Because this unique membrane is transparent to infrared light, isolated microcolonies of bacterial cells grown on this PE substrate can be fingerprinted directly by IR microspectroscopy, followed by multivariate analysis for the identification of the pathogens. The method can be applied to other cell types as well. 

This novel membrane and its applications offer an advantage over existing tests in that it can be used to rapidly identify presumptive pathogen colonies, and can be used in screening tests for a large number of pathogens, as well as various microorganisms and cell types.  It can also be used to isolate microorganisms from aqueous suspensions as well as spores, including airborne ones.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1398</link><pubDate>2012-07-31</pubDate></item><item><title>High Diversity/High Affinity Domain Antibody Library</title><description><![CDATA[Available for licensing and commercial development is a highly diverse domain antibody (dAb) library providing antibodies that bind with high affinity to variety of antigen targets.  Antibody diversity is inherently limited by using only three CDRs of either light chain variable domain (LCDRs) or heavy chain variable domain (HCDRs). This novel dAb library is designed using light chain variable domain 3 (LCDR3) and heavy chain variable domain (HCDR3), which are of primary importance for creating binding site diversity in the human immune system.  The library contains 2.5 x 1010 dAbs.  Human naturally occurring LCDR3s were grafted onto HCDR1 of m0.  These antibodies are of very small size (15-17 kDa), high stability and can be expressed at high levels as monomers.  The library can be used for the selection of antibodies to any antigen including cancer and viral antigens and exhibit such properties as good penetration, stability, solubility, high levels of expression (at potentially low cost), and low level of immunogenicity or toxicity.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=1986</link><pubDate>2012-07-31</pubDate></item><item><title>Purified Saxitoxin for Food Safety Applications</title><description><![CDATA[Available for licensing as a biological material for research purposes is purified saxitoxin.  Saxitoxin is the parent compound in a family of natural toxins that can occur in seafood and can cause food borne illness.  Highly purified saxitoxin is vital for the development, validation, and calibration of detection methods for these toxins, as well as for fundamental studies in physiology and pain management.  Interested parties may license the compound for conjugation chemistry and radiolabeling with the end goal of generating a research reagent.]]></description><link>http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=2014</link><pubDate>2012-07-31</pubDate></item></channel></rss>