40 results about "Pandemic influenza" patented technology

Described in this application are attenuated strains of avian influenza virus containing temperature sensitive mutations in addition to a genetic tag in the PB1 gene. The attenuated viruses are useful as avian and mammalian vaccine for protective immunity against homologous and heterologous lethal challenges with influenza virus. A genetically modified avian influenza virus backbone is described which can be used as a master donor strain for the generation of live attenuated vaccines for epidemic and pandemic influenza.

The present invention relates inter alia to the treatment or prevention of influenza virus infection (including subtypes influenza A virus, influenza B virus, avian strain H5N1, A / H1N1, H3N2 and / or pandemic influenza) using compounds which inhibit the activity of p59-HCK and to a method of screening for a candidate drug substance intended to prevent or treat influenza virus infection in a subject, said method comprising identifying a test substance capable of inhibiting p59-HCK activity.

Described herein are vaccines and the use of naked DNA and / or RNA encoding hemagglutinin (HA) from pandemic influenza, e.g., the 1918 H1N1 and / or the 1957 H2N2 and / or the 1968 H3N2 influenza A virus, as a vaccine component against present day and coming H1, H2, H3, H5, N1, N2 containing influenza A infections in humans and swine optionally with the naked DNA and / or RNA encoding Neuraminidase (NA) and / or matrix protein (M) and / or the nucleoprotein (NP) from pandemic influenza virus included. If the vaccine components are used as DNA or RNA vaccines with or without the corresponding protein, the codons can optionally be “humanized” using preferred codons from highly expressed mammalian genes and the administration of this DNA vaccine can be by saline or buffered saline injection of naked DNA or RNA, or injection of DNA plasmid or linear gene expressing DNA fragments coupled to particles. Addition of the matrix protein (M) and / or the nucleoprotein (NP) from the 1918 influenza strain is also disclosed.

The invention discloses an application of chitosan in preparation of influenza virus attenuated live vaccines, and provides an adjuvant which can reduce the using amount of the influenza virus attenuated live vaccine. According to the invention, chitosan is adopted as an influenza virus attenuated live vaccine adjuvant for the first time, which enhances the immunogenicity of the vaccine, induces human body to generate stronger immune response, effectively reduces the using amount of the vaccine, effectively enlarges immunization population within existing production capacity and technology, and has important social meaning and application value for pandemic influenza.

The invention provides a high-efficiency low-cost influenza-pandemic influenza bivalent combined vaccine which can be produced in large amount and a preparation method thereof, relating to a novel influenza-pandemic influenza vaccine preparation used for injection and a preparation process thereof and comprising preparation of virus seed banks and production and preparation of vaccine stock solution. The preparation method refers to that of whole-virus inactivated vaccines, split vaccines and subunit vaccines of the influenza and split vaccines of the pandemic influenza. The influenza-pandemic influenza bivalent combined vaccine preparation provided by the invention comprises two antigens for influenza and bird flu and can conveniently prevent viral epidemics and outbreak of the influenza and bird flu.

The invention relates to a lipid microsphere composition. The lipid microsphere composition is characterized by comprising a lipid microsphere emulsifying agent and an immunogenic composition, wherein the lipid microsphere emulsifying agent comprises 1 to 30 weight percent of pharmaceutical grade grease, 0.1 to 10 weight percent of zwitterionic / non-ionic surfactant composition, 0.01 to 5 weight percent of stabilizing agent and the balance of aqueous solution; and the immunogenic composition is a univalent to multivalent composition and usually a trivalent composition, and contains a virus antigen or antigenic preparation from one or more pandemic influenza epidemic related influenza virus strains or with one or more pandemic influenza epidemic related influenza virus strains. The lipid microsphere composition not only can serve as an excellent aid of a vaccine, but also can serve as a conveying system of the vaccine. The lipid microsphere composition is applicable to different administration routes of the vaccine, improves compliance, diversity and selectivity of clinical application, and achieves wide, safe and effective immune effect.

A method for eliciting or inducing a protective immune response in a subject against a pandemic subtype of influenza virus comprises administering to the subject a composition comprising (i) at least one immunogen of an endemic influenza subtype, and (ii) an immunogen-free immunostimulating complex as adjuvant.

Antibodies that specifically bind to a peptide having an amino acid sequence as found at the N-terminus of the HA2 fusion peptide of the influenza A virus may be raised by inoculating a mammal with a conjugate of the peptide. In one embodiment, the conjugate comprises the peptide linked to a spacer (e.g. 6-aminocaproic acid) and a carrier protein (e.g. KLH). The antibodies may be used as a universal reagent for detecting HA proteins of influenza viruses. The antibodies are useful as versatile reagents for laboratory research and vaccine potency determination, especially in the event of pandemic influenza outbreaks.

A synthesized or isolated influenza virus replication-inhibiting peptide that competitively inhibits protein-protein interaction of the PA and PB1 of both influenza Virus Types A and B and novel in vitro binding screen to identify peptides with antiviral activity against influenza viruses of both type A and B is disclosed. In addition to the well-known pandemic influenza A viruses (such as the 1918 ''Spanish'' flu or H5N1), both type A and B viruses contribute greatly to the annual recurring epidemics that cause the vast majority of human cases and medical cost. Surprisingly, it was found that the novel virus replication-inhibiting, are able to inhibit protein-protein interaction of the PA and PB1 subunits of the heterotrimeric viral RNA polymerase complex of both influenza virus types A and B. The viral polymerase sub- unit interaction domain turned out as an effective target for the new antivirals, as correct assembly of the three viral polymerase subunits PB1, PB2 and PA is required for viral RNA synthesis and infectivity.

The present invention relates to use of multimeric multi-epitope peptide-based compositions for immunizing subjects against influenza by administering the compositions to the subject prior to or together with seasonal or pandemic influenza vaccines. The present invention also relates to compositions that include a multimeric multi-epitope polypeptide and a seasonal or pandemic preparation against influenza.

Pharmaceutical and vaccine compositions comprise recombinant hemagglutinin from a pre-pandemic or pandemic influenza virus and an adjuvant comprising GLA. A particularly relevant pre-pandemic influenza virus is H5N1. Kits and methods of using the compositions are also provided.

The present invention is a novel method using a MegaRibavirin aerosol or a MegaRibavirin combination of therapeutics for the treatment of viral disease particularly the pandemic influenza strains “swine” 2009 HI N1 and H5N1. This invention utilizes Ribavirin in an aerosol Mega Dose (61-161 mg / ml) alone or combined with or without other antivirals, a perfluorocarbon emulsion and anti-inflammatory / anti-oxidants. Where applicable, the perfluorocarbon emulsion may dissolve these agents enabling a depot effect and possible protracted delivery. In addition, perfluorocarbon emulsions have the possible added benefit of oxygen carrying capacity and alveolar nitric oxide sequestration, which may reduce peroxynitrite formation and decrease Influenza severity.

The invention concerns nucleotides vaccines encoding influenza proteins with few or no glycosylation sites. Since these first introductions of pandemic influenzas the viruses have drifted, accumulating mutations at antigenic sites, but also the N-glycosylation pattern has changed during the drifted years, accumulating N-linked glycosylation sequons that help mask the antigenic sites for recognition by the host immune system. These “naked” initial haemagglutinins induce a broad cross reactivity against widely drifted influenza subtypes. The origin of the DNA or RNA can be both pandemic influenza strains, which codes for proteins which have a naturally low content of glycosylation sites and / or DNA or RNA from non-pandemic influenza strains where the nucleotides have been mutated or changed so it encodes for proteins with less or no glycosylation sites. The invention also discloses DNA or RNA encoding the haemagglutinin (HA) from pandemic influenza A, e.g. the 1918 H1N1 and / or the 1957 H2N2 and / or the 1968 H3N2 influenza A virus, optionally with the Neuraminidase (NA) and / or matrix protein (M) and / or the nucleoprotein (NP) from these pandemic influenza virus included, mixed together with DNA or RNA from non-pandemic influenza A as a vaccine against present day and future influenza A viruses.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides a novel approach for the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of Cap-Snatching virus infections, particularly all classes of human influenza, including pandemic influenza. The methods involve the use of constructs for RNA-interference (RNAi).

A method for detecting emerging pandemic influenza strains is provided. RT-PCR is used to detect HPAI followed by pyrosequencing to detect codons defining human or avian influenza signatures. This method screens for avian influenza viruses containing mutations suspected of making the virus more infective or virulent to humans.