Wyeth Holdings Corporation

Serono Genetics Institute S.a.

American Cyanamid Company

Wyeth

Genset S.a.

Merck Serono Biodevelopment

Serono Genetica Institute S.a.

Benjamin J Metcalf

Leah Diane Fletcher

Robert J Zagursky

Gary Warren Zlotnick

John Erwin Farley

Liesel A Bernfield

Joel A Peek

Susan K Hoiseth

Banumathi Sankaran

Rémy Griffais

Robert John Zagursky

Farley John

W Zlotnick Gary

J Zagursky Robert

The present invention relates toORF2086 proteins, crossreactive immunogenic proteins which can be isolated from nesserial strains or prepared recombinantly, including immunogenic portions thereof, biological equivalents thereof, antibodies that immunospecifically bind to the foregoing and nucleic acid sequences encoding each of the foregoing, as well as the use of same in immunogenic compositions that are effective against infection byserogroup B.

Immunogenic compositions for the prevention and treatment of meningococcal disease

The subject of the invention is the genomic sequence and the nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides of, such as cellular envelope polypeptides, which are secreted or specific, or which are involved in metabolism, in the replication process or in virulence, polypeptides encoded by such sequences, as well as vectors including the said sequences and cells or animals transformed with these vectors. The invention also relates to transcriptional gene products of thegenome, such as, for example, antisense and ribozyme molecules, which can be used to control growth of the microorganism. The invention also relates to methods of detecting these nucleic acids or polypeptides and kits for diagnosinginfection. The invention also relates to a method of selecting compounds capable of modulating bacterial infection and a method for the biosynthesis or biodegradation of molecules of interest using the said nucleotide sequences or the said polypeptides. The invention finally comprises, pharmaceutical, in particular vaccine, compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of bacterial, in particular, infections.

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The expression of the lipidated form of the peptidoglycan-associated protein (PAL) of gram-negative bacteria is achieved through the use of a plasmid containing a tightly regulated promoter. A bacterial host cell is transformed, transduced or transfected with such a plasmid. The host cell is then cultured under conditions such that the lipidated recombinant PAL is expressed. The lipidated recombinant PAL is included in an antigenic composition administered to a mammalian host to immunize against a gram-negative bacterium.

Production of the lipidated form of the peptidoglycan-associated lipoproteins of gram-negative bacteria

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Benjamin J Metcalf