National Institutes of Health, a Component of the US Dept. of Health & Human Services

The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Health

Immunex Corporation

Jeffrey I Cohen

Masaru Kanekiyo

Wei Bu

Robert H Purcell

Michael Gordon Joyce

Lesley Pesnicak

John R Ticehurst

Gary J Nabel

Suzanne U Emerson

Richard Jeffrey Armitage

Melanie K Spriggs

Mark R Alderson

Stephen M Feinstone

Michael R Comeau

Theresa M Farrah

Lindsey M Hutt-Fletcher

Yaroslav Tsybovsky

Richard J Daemer

Ian D Gust

Stephan M Feinstone

Stphen M Feinstone

Edward M Cox, Jr

Edward M Cox

Lesley M Pesnicak

Antibodies and compositions of matter useful for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection in mammals, and methods of using those compositions of matter for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of EBV infection are described. Also described are proteins, referred to as anti-gp350 antibody probes, and anti-gp350 B-cell probes, that maintain the epitope structure of the CR2-binding region of gp350, but do not bind CR2.

Antibodies and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Epstein Barr virus infection

The disclosure provides recombinant herpes virus with diminished latency. In embodiments, the recombinant herpes virus comprises a latency gene or transcript linked to an altered or heterologous promoter. The disclosure also provides compositions and methods for inducing immunity in animals using the recombinant herpes viruses.

Recombinant virus with diminished latency and methods of using same

Anti-EBV gH antibodies, anti-EBV gL antibodies, anti-EBV gH/gL antibodies, and compositions of matter useful for the detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Epstein Barr Virus infection in humans, and methods of using those compositions of matter for the same.

Antibodies and methods for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Epstein Barr virus infection

Vaccines are provided that elicit neutralizing antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display envelope proteins from EBV on their surface. The nanoparticles comprise fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit of a self-assembly protein, such as ferritin, joined to at least a portion of an EBV envelope protein. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the envelope protein-displaying nanoparticles. Such vaccines can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by different types of Epstein-Barr viruses as well as Epstein-Barr viruses that are antigenically divergent from the virus from which the EBV envelope protein was obtained. Also provided are fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins.

Epstein-barr virus vaccines

Antibodies and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Epstein Barr Virus infection

Antibodies and compositions of matter useful for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of Epstein Barr Virus infection in mammals, and to methods of using those compositions of matter for the same. Also disclosed are proteins, referred to as anti-gp350 antibody probes, and anti-gp350 B-cell probes, that maintain the epitope structure of the CR2-binding region of gp350, but do not bind CR2.

Epstein-Barr virus vaccines

Viruses having weakened ability to establish and/or maintain latency and their use as live vaccines are described. The vaccines have one or more alterations in genes that provide continued virus replication but that inhibit latency. The vaccine materials and methods for their construction are exemplified with the varicella zoster virus. Deletion of a significant portion from both copies of the varicella zoster gene ORF63 was shown to inhibit establishment of a latent infection from a live vaccine form of the virus. Insertion of an additional ORF62 gene which is partially truncated with the ORF63 deletion inhibited establishment of latency and allowed normal growth of the virus. Other desirable viral antigen encoding sequence(s) and/or cytokine genes advantageously may replace deleted genetic material to enhance a desired immunological response. Aspects of the discovery pertain to live vaccines of other viruses, and can provide a variety of vaccines having greater safety.

Safer attenuated varicella-zoster virus vaccines with missing or diminished latency of infection

The present invention provides an attenuated hepatitis A virus useful as a vaccine.

Vaccine against hepatitis A virus

Isolated viral proteins, and pharmaceutical compositions made therefrom, are disclosed which are capable of binding to a .beta. chain of a Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex antigen, thereby functioning to inhibit an antigen-specific response. The viral proteins also have superantigen-like activity, and inhibit EBV infection.

Isolated Epstein-Barr virus BZLF2 proteins that bind MHC class II

A full-length cDNA copy of an attenuated, cell culture-adapted hepatitis-A virus genome has been constructed. The HAV cDNA when inserted, without the oligo (dG) oligo (dC) tails, into an RNA transcription vector yielded a plasmid designated pHAV/7. Transfection of monkey kidney cells with pHAV/7 DNA yielded HAV. Transfection with RNA transcripts produced in vitro from pHAV/7 yielded about 10-fold more HAV than transfection with pHAV/7 DNA. HAV thus produced are useful as a vaccine.

Chimeric hepatitis A vaccine

Isolated epstein-barr virus BZLF2 proteins that bind MHC class II beta

cDNA encoding attenuated cell culture adapted hepatitis A virus genome

Growing community of inventors

Silver Spring, MD, United States of America

Jeffrey I Cohen