146 results about "Neutralizing epitope" patented technology

A method for the rational design and preparation of vaccines based on HIV envelope polypeptides is described. In one embodiment, the method for making an HIV gp120 subunit vaccine for a geographic region comprises determining neutralizing epitopes in the V2 and / or C4 domains of gp120 of HIV isolates from the geographic region and selecting an HIV strain having gp120 a neutralizing epitope in the V2 or C4-domain which is common among isolates in the geographic region. In a preferred embodiment of the method, neutralizing epitopes for the V2, V3, and C4 domains of gp120 are determined. At least two HIV isolates having different neutralizing epitopes in the V2, V3, or C4 domain are selected and used to make the vaccine. The invention also provides a multivalent HIV gp120 subunit vaccine. A DNA sequence encoding gp120 from preferred vaccine strains of HIV, GNE8 and GNE16, expression constructs comprising the GNE8-gp120 and GNE16-gp120 encoding DNA under the transcriptional and translational control of a heterologous promoter, and isolated GNE8-gp120 and GNE16-gp120 are also described.

This invention provides antibodies that specifically bind to and neutralize botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT / A) and the epitopes bound by those antibodies. The antibodies and derivatives thereof and / or other antibodies that specifically bind to the neutralizing epitopes provided herein can be used to neutralize botulinum neurotoxin and are therefore also useful in the treatment of botulism.

The invention relates to monoclonal antibodies capable of recognizing and neutralizing epitopes from the ligand domain, the translocation domain or the catalytic domain of the enterotoxin (toxin A) and cytotoxin (toxin B) from Clostridium difficile, as well as their production and therapeutic and prophylactic applications to diseases caused by said toxins.

The application describes neutralizing chimeric and humanized anti-human IL-9 antibodies, and the use thereof to identify neutralizing epitopes on human IL-9 and as medicaments to prevent and treat asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, atopic allergy, and other related disorders. Particularly disclosed are recombinant antibodies derived from three murine anti-human IL-9 antibodies identified infra as MH9A3, MH9D1, and MH9L1.

This invention provides antibodies that specifically bind to and neutralize botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT / A) and the epitopes bound by those antibodies. The antibodies and derivatives thereof and / or other antibodies that specifically bind to the neutralizing epitopes provided herein can be used to neutralize botulinum neurotoxin and are therefore also useful in the treatment of botulism.

Botulinum neurotoxins, the most potent of all toxins, induce lethal neuromuscular paralysis by inhibiting exocytosis at the neuromuscular junction. The light chains (LC) of these dichain neurotoxins are a new class of zinc-endopeptidases that specifically cleave the synaptosomal proteins, SNAP-25, VAMP, or syntaxin at discrete sites. The present invention relates to the construction, expression, purification, and use of synthetic or recombinant botulinum neutoroxin genes. For example, a synthetic gene for the LC of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT / A) was constructed and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was purified from inclusion bodies. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product was stable in solution at 4° C. for at least 6 months. This rBoNT / A LC was proteolytically active, specifically cleaving the Glu-Arg bond in a 17-residue synthetic peptide of SNAP-25, the reported cleavage site of BoNT / A. Its calculated catalytic efficiency kcat / Km was higher than that reported for the native BoNT / A dichain. Treating the rBoNT / A LC with mercuric compounds completely abolished its activity, most probably by modifying the cysteine-164 residue located in the vicinity of the active site. About 70% activity of the LC was restored by adding Zn2+ to a Zn2+-free, apo-LC preparation. The LC was nontoxic to mice and failed to elicit neutralizing epitope(s) when the animals were vaccinated with this protein. In addition, injecting rBoNT / A LC into sea urchin eggs inhibited exocytosis-dependent plasma membrane resealing.

This invention provides antibodies that specifically bind to and typically neutralize botulinum neurotoxins (e.g., BoNT / A, BoNT / B, BoNT / E, etc.) and the epitopes bound by those antibodies. The antibodies and derivatives thereof and / or other antibodies that specifically bind to the neutralizing epitopes provided herein can be used to neutralize botulinum neurotoxin and are therefore also useful in the treatment of botulism.