Connaught Laboratories Limited

The UAB Research Foundation (The University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Robert S Becker

Karen S Biscardi

Robert C Huebner

Lorne Erdile

Laura Ferguson

Maryann B Gray

Lorne F Erdile

David E Briles

Bruno Guy

Susan K Hollingshead

Maurice W Harmon

Robert P Ryall

Patrick McVerry

Donald J Warakomski, Jr

Derek J Pyle

Immununological compositions and methods for making and using them. The compositions contain at least one antigen and at least one lipoprotein and optionally an adjuvant. The lipoprotein can itself be antigenic or immunogenic. The antigen can be influenza HA and the lipoprotein a recombinantly expressed product having an OspA leader for lipidation and PspA for the protein portion. The antigen can be OspC and the lipoprotein OspA. The components of the composition are co-administered. A potentiated immunological response is obtained by the compositions and methods.

Immunological combination compositions and methods

The present invention relates to vaccine composition(s) comprising at least two PspAs from strains selected from at least one family, the family being defined by PspAs from strains belonging to the family having greater than or equal to 50% homology in aligned sequences of a C-terminal region of an alpha helical region of PspA. Additionally, the families are further comprised of clades, wherein PspAs from strains which belong to a clade exhibit greater than 75% sequence homology in aligned sequences of the C-terminal region of the alpha helix of PspA. Vaccine compositions of the present invention preferably comprise a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 strains representing a single clade each, and the at least two PspAs are optionally serologically or broadly cross-reactive.

Strain selection of pneumococcal surface proteins

Immunological compositions and methods for making and using them. The compositions contain at least one antigen and at least one lipoprotein and optionally an adjuvant. The lipoprotein can itself be antigenic or immunogenic. The antigen can be influenza HA and the lipoprotein a recombinantly expressed product having an OspA leader for lipidation and PspA for the protein portion. The antigen can be OspC and the lipoprotein OspA. The components of the composition are co-administered. A potentiated immunological response is obtained by the compositions and methods.

The present invention relates to vaccine composition(s) comprising at least two PspAs from strains selected from at least one family, the family being defined by PspAs from strains belonging to the family having greater than or equal to 50% homology in aligned sequences of a C-terminal region of an alpha helical region of PspA. Additionally, the families are further comprised of clades, wherein PspAs from strains which belong to a clade exhibit at least 75% sequence homology in aligned sequences of the C-terminal region of the alpha helix of PspA. Vaccine compositions of the present invention preferably comprise a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 strains representing a single clade each, and the at least two PspAs are optionally serologically or broadly cross-reactive.

Heterologous lipidated proteins formed recombinantly are disclosed and claimed. The expression system can be . The heterologous lipidated protein has a leader sequence which does not naturally occur with the protein portion of the lipidated protein. The lipidated protein can have the Borrelia OspA leader sequence. The protein portion can be OspC, PspA, UreA, Ure B, or a fragment thereof. Methods and compositions for forming and employing the proteins are also disclosed and claimed.

Expression of lipoproteins

Immunological compositions and methods for making and using them. The compositions contain an antigen and a lipoprotein and optionally an adjuvant. The lipoprotein can itself be antigenic or immurogenic. The antigen can be influenza HA and the lipoprotein a recombinantly expressed product having an OspA leader for lipidation and PspA for the protein portion. The antigen can be OspC and the lipoprotein OspA. The components of the composition are co-administered. A potentiated immunological response is obtained by the compositions and methods.

An enhanced immune response to antigens, particularly normally weakly-immunogenic viral antigens, such as the HA antigen from influenza virus, is achieved by coadministering the antigen in two different physio-chemical forms, particularly to enable presentation of antigen both by B cells and accessory cells.

Potentiation of immunogenic response

An enhanced immune response to antigens, particularly normally weakly-immunogenic viral antigens, such as the HA antigen from influenza virus, is achieved by coadministering the antigen in two different physiochemical forms, particularly to enable presentation of antigen both by B cells and accessory cells.

Animals, including humans, are immunized by antigens, for example, the HA antigen of influenza, by first administering to a naive animal a normally strongly-immunogenic form of the antigen, for example, inactiviated or attenuated whole cell virus and subsequently administering a normally weakly-immunogenic isolated and purified viral antigen, to achieve an enhanced immune response to the purified viral antigen.

Primary and secondary immunization with different physio-chemical forms

Animals, including humans, are immunized by antigens, for example, the HA antigen of influenza, by first administering to a naive animal a normally strongly-immunogenic form of the antigen, for example, inactivated or attenuated whole cell virus and subsequently administering a normally weakly-immunogenic isolated and purified viral antigen, to achieve an enhanced immune response to the purified viral antigen.

The dosage response of humans to conjugate vaccines comprising a bacterial polysaccharide and a strongly-immunogenic carrier protein is determined in animals by coadministering to the animal unconjugated strongly-immunogenic carrier protein in an amount corresponding, on a weight-related basis, to that administered to the human.

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Henryville, PA, United States of America

Robert S Becker