Other

Chiron S.r.l.

Istituto Superiore Di Sanita

Universitá Degli Studi Di Siena

Cassone, Antonio

Polonelli, Luciano

Luciano Polonelli

Antonio Cassone

Giuseppe Teti

Luisa Bracci

Luisa Lozzi

Neri Paolo

Luisa Dipartimento Di Biolgia Molecolare Lozzi

Paolo Dipartimento Di Biolgia Molecolare Neri

Luisa Dipartimento Di Biolgia Molecolare Bracci

Anti-glucan antibodies have been found to be protective against systemic fungal infection with, but the protective efficacy can be inhibited by blocking antibodies. The invention provides an immunogenic composition comprising a glucan and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, characterized in that, when administered to a mammalian recipient, the composition elicits protective anti-glucan antibodies but does not elicit antibodies which inhibit the protective efficacy of the anti-glucan antibodies. The glucan may be presented on the surface of a protease-treated microbial cell or may be presented as a protein-glucan conjugate. The glucan may be substituted by a glucan mimotope, a peptidomimetic of a glucan mimotope, or nucleic acid encoding a mimotope. Anti-glucan-antibodies show broad spectrum microbicidal activity. &#x3b2;-glucans are preferred, particularly those containing one or more &#x3b2;-1,6 linkages.

Glucan-based vaccines

Anti-idiotypic antibodies which recognise the idiotope of an antibody specific for a yeast killer toxin possess microbicidal activity. Fragments (e.g. decapeptides) of these anti-idiotypic antibodies, particularly those comprising CDR residues, also show microbicidal activity, as do peptides having 5 the same sequence but composed of D-amino acids, or including amino acid substitutions. Peptidomimetics of these microbicidal polypeptides are also provided. Antiviral activity is also seen.

Toxin-related antibodies with antimicrobial and antiviral activity

The invention relates to peptide, oligopeptide or polypeptide compounds that are capable of eliciting a protective immune response against the capsular polysaccharide of group(GBS), particularly type III GBS. Such compounds are useful in the development of vaccines that are effective against diseases caused by these pathogens.

Vaccine formulations comprising antiidiotypic antibodies which immunologically mimic group B streptococcal carbohydrates

The invention relates to peptide, oligopeptide or polypeptide compounds that are capable of eliciting a protective immune response against the capsular polysaccharide of group B Streptococcus (GBS), particularly type III GBS. Such compounds are useful in the development of vaccines that are effective against diseases caused by these pathogens.

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Parma, Italy

Luciano Polonelli