Mutated HCV E2 Particles Prevent Infection While Triggering Immunity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, such as combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, have varying efficacies and do not effectively address the high genetic variability of HCV, leading to chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, necessitating improved methods for treatment or prevention.

Innovation Solution

Development of recombinant hepatitis C virus particles with a mutated envelope glycoprotein 2, where amino acid cysteine 505 is replaced with another amino acid, to prevent infectivity while allowing viral particle formation, enabling an immune response without actual infection, and administration of these particles with adjuvants or antiviral agents to treat or prevent HCV infections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wild-type HCV particles are used to elicit immune response, then strong immune response is generated, but the virus infects cells and causes disease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimmune response efficacyVSAvoidviral infection and disease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by mutating specific amino acid residues (cysteine to alanine or serine) at positions 505 and/or 506 in the HCV E2 envelope glycoprotein. This genetic parameter change maintains the virus's ability to form particles and elicit immune response while abolishing its infectivity, thus resolving the contradiction between generating immune response and preventing disease

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the HCV particle that replicates the immunogenic properties of the wild-type virus but lacks the harmful infectivity. The mutated E2 glycoprotein maintains the overall viral particle structure and antigenicity while introducing a functional defect that prevents cell infection, effectively creating a safe viral copy for vaccination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If current treatment therapy is used, then some viral reduction is achieved, but varying efficacy and chronic liver disease persist

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviral clearance rateVSAvoidtreatment efficacy consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful infectivity of HCV into a beneficial immunogenic stimulus. By creating particles that can trigger strong immune responses against HCV antigens without causing infection, the treatment transforms the virus's harmful property into a therapeutic advantage, achieving consistent viral clearance without the variability associated with current treatments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS9512184B2Hepatitis C virus particles, vaccines, compositions and methods related thereto

Publication Date: 2016.12.06 EMORY UNIVERSITY

AI summary

This disclosure relates to viral particles and nucleic acids encoding an HCV envelope glycoprotein 2 containing a mutation. Viral particles can be created and administered to a subject to illicit an immune response.