University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Duke University

David Clair Bloom

Gregory Scott Schultz

Alfred Samuel Lewin

Sonal Sanjeev Tuli

Antonio L Amelio

Zachary L Watson

Jia Liu

Donna M Neumann

Bryan R Cullen

Richard W Moyer

Christopher R Fisher

Dane M Phelan

Matthew E Kennedy

Sonal Sanjeen Tuli

Terri G Edwards

Aspects of the application relate to methods and compositions for delivering therapeutic nucleic acids to neural cells or tissue in a subject. Additional aspects of the application relate to therapeutic nucleic acids, for example therapeutic ribozymes, that are useful for inhibiting viral reactivation in a subject.

Method for delivering RNA to neurons to treat herpes infections

The invention relates to kinase inhibitor compounds and methods of identifying and using them. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating or preventing herpesvirus infection and/or herpesvirus-associated diseases and disorders.

Use of ATR and Chk1 inhibitor compounds

The subject invention pertains to materials and methods for the treatment of latent viral infections.

Materials and methods for the treatment of latent viral infection

Disclosed are genetic expression cassettes, and vectors comprising them useful for the delivery of isolated nucleic acid segments including those expressing or encoding one or more selected therapeutic constructs (including, without limitation, therapeutic peptides, polypeptides, ribozymes, or catalytic RNA molecules), to one or more selected cells or tissues of a vertebrate animal. Methods employing the disclosed genetic constructs in the development of gene therapy-based viral vector systems are also disclosed. The expression cassettes and viral vectors disclosed herein provide new tools for methods of treating mammalian, and in particular, human diseases, disorders, and/or dysfunctions. The disclosed compositions and methods find particular utility in a variety of investigative, diagnostic, and therapeutic regimens, including, for example, in the treatment or amelioration of symptoms of a variety of mammalian, and particularly, human conditions.

Methods for sustained and regulatable gene expression using viral based expression vectors

Disclosed are genetic expression cassettes, and vector comprising them useful for the delivery of nucleic acid segments encoding selected therapeutic constructs (including for example, peptides, polypeptides, ribozymes, and catalytic RN molecules), to selected cells and tissues of vertebrate animals. The disclosed genetic constructs are useful in the development of gene therapy vectors, including for example, viral vectors such as HSV, retroviral, lentiviral, AV, and rAAV vectors. The expression cassettes disclosed herein provide new tools in the field of gene therapy, and for the treatment of mammalian, and in particular, human diseases, disorders, and dysfunctions. The disclosed compositions may be utilized in a variety of investigative, diagnostic and therapeutic regimens, including the prevention and treatment of a variety of human diseases.

Insulated herpesvirus-derived gene expression cassettes for sustained and regulatable gene expression

Hammerhead ribozymes that target components critical to HSV replication (ICP4, U20, U30, and U54) were synthesized and shown to efficiently cleave target RNA encoding a portion of these components in in vitro assays. Several cloned cell lines stably expressing these ribozymes were established. HSV-mediated plaque formation was dramatically reduced in cells stably transfected with an anti-HSV ribozyme compared to non-transfected cells.

Herpesvirus ribozymes and vectors

Hammerhead ribozymes that target components critical to HSV replication (ICP4, UL20, UL30, and UL54) were synthesized and shown to efficiently cleave target RNA encoding a portion of these components in in vitro assays. Several cloned cell lines stably expressing these ribozymes were established. HSV-mediated plaque formation was dramatically reduced in cells stably transfected with an anti-HSV ribozyme compared to non-transfected cells.

Disclosed is a novel biological system for 1) the evaluation of potential complications of live virus vaccines prior to actual testing in animals or in the field, and 2) the construction of vaccine vectors in which the ability to grow within specific organs or tissues has selectively been eliminated from the virus.

Growing community of inventors

Gainesville, FL, United States of America

David Clair Bloom