The Scripps Research Institute

International Aids Vaccine Initiative

University of Washington

Sergey V Menis

William Ray Schief

Joseph Graham Jardine

Neil P King

Po-Ssu Huang

Jon M Steichen

Daniel Kulp

Dan Kulp

Sebastian Raemisch

Xiaozhen Hu

The present invention relates to engineered outer domain (eOD) immunogens of HIV gp120 and mutants thereof and methods of making and using the same. The present invention also includes fusions of eOD to various protein multimers to enhance immunogenicity. The mutant eODs bind to neutralizing antibody precursors. The mutant eODs can activate germline precursors on the pathway to eliciting a broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) response. The invention also relates to immunized knock-in mice expressing germline-reverted heavy chains. Induced antibodies showed characteristics of bnAbs and mutations that favored binding to near-native HIV-1 gp120 constructs. In contrast, native-like immunogens failed to activate precursors. The invention also relates to rational epitope design that can prime rare B cell precursors for affinity maturation to desired targets.

Engineered outer domain (eOD) of HIV GP120, mutants and use thereof

The invention relates to PGT121-germline-targeting designs, trimer stabilization designs, combinations of those two, trimers designed with modified surfaces helpful for immunization regimens, other trimer modifications and on development of trimer nanoparticles and methods of making and using the same.

Immunogenic trimers

The invention relates to an engineered outer domain (eOD) of HIV gp120 and mutants thereof and methods of making and using the same. The mutant eODs may be advantageous for the elicitation of CD4-binding site (CD4bs)-directed broadly-neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) and/or improve binding to mature VRC01 and/or improve binding to germline VRC01 and the germlines of other VH1-2 derived broadly-neutralizing antibodies. The mutant eODs may also include glycan-masking mutations on eOD. The present invention also includes fusions of eOD to various protein multimers to enhance immunogenicity as well as the design of cocktails of different eODs that represent the full diversity of HIV sequences within the VRC01 epitope and surroundings.

Engineered outer domain (EOD) of HIV GP120 and mutants thereof

Engineered outer domain (eOD) of HIV gp120 and mutants thereof

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Bothell, WA, United States of America

Sergey V Menis