R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Kbio Holdings Limited

Kentucky Bioprocessing, Inc.

Joshua D Morton

Gary Maurice Dull

Barry Bratcher

Steven D Hume

John-Paul Mua

Kyle Ford

Greg Pogue

Leigh Burden

Hugh A Haydon

Carrie A Simpson

Nick Partain

John W Shepherd

Nicholas Partain

Samuel Mark Debusk

Margarette Elisa Lovette

Leigh Ann Blevins Joyce

Leigh Hagan

Michael H Pauly

Youngjun Oh

Thaddeus Jude Jackson

Daniel Verdin Cantrell

Robert Frank Boutin

Kelsi Swope

Thomas Hinkemeyer

Various embodiments disclosed herein include methods and exemplary compositions associated with conjugation of virus and proteins (e.g., antigen) to form vaccines for delivery of immunological and other therapeutic agents, exemplary aspects of which may include harvesting viral and antigenic substances from source organisms; purifying the viral and protein (e.g. antigenic, including influenza hemagglutinin antigens) substances through methodologies described in an exemplary manner, as well as their concentration and collection; and a conjugation platform providing activation of the virus at a pH that increases binding rate and binding propensity between the virus and the protein, wherein embodiments related to the conjugation platform include controlling the ratio of virus to protein.

Virus and antigen conjugation

Disclosed herein are methods of forming compounds and exemplary compounds in the nature of a conjugated compound demonstrating enhanced stability, which in some embodiments comprises a protein and virus particle mixed in a conjugation reaction to form a conjugate mixture, such that the conditions and steps of forming these products allow for unrefrigerated storage for longer time periods than previous approaches, thus making feasible access to such products over a global supply chain.

Virus and antigen purification and conjugation

The disclosure describes methods for the purification of protein-enriched extracts to provide concentrates and isolates and methods for incorporation of such materials into products. The purification methods are adapted for removal of nicotine and may have other benefits, e.g., lightening the color of the protein-enriched extracts. The methods generally include treatment with peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide and filtrations. A protein composition in the form of a concentrate or isolate is provided, the protein composition including RuBisCO, F2 fraction proteins, or combination thereof extracted from a plant of thespecies, wherein the protein composition is characterized by relatively low nicotine content.

Purification of tobacco-derived protein compositions

Disclosed herein are methods of forming compounds and exemplary compounds in the nature of a conjugated compound, which in some embodiments comprises an antigen and virus particle mixed in a conjugation reaction to form a conjugate mixture, such that the conditions and steps of forming these products allow for use of the conjugate mixture as a vaccine, including but not limited to use as a vaccine against various pathogens including for treatment of diseases caused by novel coronaviruses (including SARS-COV 2).

Vaccines formed by virus and antigen conjugation

Disclosed herein are methods of forming compounds and exemplary stable compounds in the nature of a conjugated compound at refrigerated or room temperature, which in some embodiments comprises an antigen and virus particle mixed in a conjugation reaction to form a conjugate mixture, such that the conditions and steps of forming these products allow for use of the conjugate mixture as a vaccine, including but not limited to use as a vaccine against various pathogens including for treatment of diseases caused by novel coronaviruses (including SARS-COV 2).

Disclosed herein are methods and exemplary compositions associated with antigen purification, exemplary aspects of which may include harvesting viral and antigenic substances from source organisms; and a purification platform comprising chemical separation and size-difference separation for the removal of contaminants, debris and impurities from the viral and protein (e.g. antigenic, including influenza hemagglutinin antigens) substances, as well as their concentration and collection.

Antigen purification

The disclosure describes methods for the purification of protein-enriched extracts to provide concentrates and isolates and methods for incorporation of such materials into products. The purification methods are adapted for removal of, e.g., chlorophyll and may thus provide lightening the color of the protein-enriched extracts. The methods generally include treatment with peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide and filtrations. A protein composition in the form of a concentrate or isolate is provided, the protein composition including RuBisCO, F2 fraction proteins, or combination thereof extracted from a plant material.

Plant-derived protein purification

Disclosed herein are methods and exemplary compositions associated with virus purification, antigen purification, and conjugation of virus and proteins (e.g., antigen) to form vaccines for delivery of immunological and other therapeutic agents, exemplary aspects of which may include harvesting viral and antigenic substances from source organisms; a purification platform comprising chemical separation and size-difference separation for the removal of contaminants, debris and impurities from the viral and protein (e.g. antigenic, including influenza hemagglutinin antigens) substances, as well as their concentration and collection; and a conjugation platform providing activation of the virus at a pH that increases binding rate and binding propensity between the virus and the protein, wherein embodiments related to the conjugation platform include controlling the ratio of virus to protein.

The present disclosure describes methods of obtaining and/or deriving proteins from plants of thespecies and methods for incorporation of such proteins into various products. For example, a method for obtaining a protein-enriched material from a plant of thespecies or portion thereof is provided, comprising: extracting one or more proteins from the plant material into a solvent to form a liquid protein-containing extract; separating a solid extracted plant material from the liquid protein-containing extract; clarifying the liquid protein-containing extract to form a clarified protein-containing extract and a solids fraction; and treating the clarified protein-containing extract so as to provide a protein-enriched material comprising at least about 60% protein by weight.

Protein-enriched tobacco-derived composition

Disclosed herein are methods and exemplary compositions associated with virus purification, exemplary aspects of which may include harvesting viral and antigenic substances from source organisms; and a purification platform comprising chemical separation and size-difference separation for the removal of contaminants, debris and impurities from the viral and protein (e.g. antigenic, including influenza hemagglutinin antigens) substances, as well as their concentration and collection.

Growing community of inventors

Evansville, IN, United States of America

Joshua D Morton