The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Vision Global Holdings Limited

Bio-cancer Treatment International Limited

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Yun Chung Leung

Bing Lou Wong

Sui Yi Kwok

Norman Fung Man Wai

Wai Hung Lo

Wai-hung Lo

Ning Man Cheng

Kwok-yin Wong

Jeffery Errington

Ho Yin Chow

Pak Ho Chan

Wai Hong Chung

Ka Yan Chow

Hon Man Leung

Alisa Sau-Wun Shum

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing albumin-binding arginine deiminase (AAD) fusion protein for treating cancer or other arginine-dependent diseases. The AAD fusion protein can be purified from both soluble and insoluble fractions of crude proteins, binds to human serum albumin (HSA) or animal serum albumin and has its high activity with longer half life for efficient depletion of arginine in cancer cells. The specific activities of wild-type ADI and AAD fusion protein in the present invention are about 20 and about 19 U/mg (at physiological pH 7.4), respectively. The composition can be used alone or in combination with at least one chemotherapeutic agent to give a synergistic effect on cancer treatment and/or inhibiting metastasis. The AAD fusion protein can also be used as a component for detection and quantitative analysis of arginine in a testing kit for various samples including blood, food and analytical samples.

Method for cancer targeting treatment and detection of arginine using albumin-binding arginine deiminase fusion protein

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing albumin-binding arginine deiminase fusion protein (AAD) for treating cancer or other arginine-dependent diseases. The AAD fission protein can be purified from both soluble and insoluble fractions of crude proteins, it binds to human serum albumin (HSA) and has its high activity with longer half life for efficient depletion of arginine in cancer cells. The specific activities of wild-type ADI and AAD in the present invention are 8.4 and 9.2 U/mg (at physiological pH 7.4), respectively. The AAD used in the present invention can be used in the treatment of various cancers (e.g. pancreatic cancer, leukemia, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer & brain cancer) and curing arginine-dependent diseases. The composition can be used alone or in combination with at least one chemotherapeutic agent to give a synergistic effect on cancer treatment and/or inhibiting metastasis.

Albumin-binding arginine deiminase and the use thereof

The present invention provides a site-specific pegylated arginase conjugate and method for producing thereof. The site-specific pegylated arginase is homogeneous in molecular weight and shows therapeutic effect for treating cancers and viral infections. The method for producing the arginase conjugate comprises genetically modifying the gene encoding an arginase so that the PEG moiety can be attached to the enzyme at a predetermined, specific intended sites. This is achieved by removing the PEG-attaching amino acid residue(s) at undesirable site(s) while keeping or adding cysteine(s) at the desirable site(s) of the enzyme. Two exemplary embodiments of the pegylated arginase conjugate are directed to human arginase I (HAI) where a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is site-specific covalently bonded to Cysof the enzyme andarginase (BCA) where a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is site-specific covalently bonded to Cysof the enzyme.

Site-directed pegylation of arginases and the use thereof as anti-cancer and anti-viral agents

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing albumin-binding arginine deiminase fusion protein (AAD) for treating cancer or other arginine-dependent diseases. The AAD fusion protein can be purified from both soluble and insoluble fractions of crude proteins, it binds to human serum albumin (HSA) and has its high activity with longer half life for efficient depletion of arginine in cancer cells. The specific activities of wild-type ADI and AAD in the present invention are 8.4 and 9.2 U/mg (at physiological pH 7.4), respectively. The AAD used in the present invention can be used in the treatment of various cancers (e.g. pancreatic cancer, leukemia, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer & brain cancer) and curing arginine-dependent diseases. The composition can be used alone or in combination with at least one chemotherapeutic agent to give a synergistic effect on cancer treatment and/or inhibiting metastasis.

Albumin-binding arginine deminase and the use thereof

The present invention provides an isolated and substantially purified recombinant human arginase having sufficiently high enzymatic activity and stability to maintain Adequate Arginine Depletion in a patient. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the modified invention enzyme and method for treatment of diseases using the pharmaceutical composition.

Pharmaceutical preparation and method of treatment of human malignancies with arginine deprivation

Mono-pegylated arginase conjugate and method producing thereof. The mono-pegylated arginase is homogeneous in molecular weight and shows therapeutic effect for treating cancers and viral infections. The method of producing such arginase conjugate has a main step of genetically modifying the gene encoding an arginase so that the PEG moiety can attach to the enzyme at a predetermined, specific intended site. This is achieved by removing the PEG attaching amino acid residues at undesirable sites while keeping (or adding, if necessary) the one at the desirable site of the enzyme. Two exemplary mono-pegylated arginase conjugates so produced are human arginase I (HAI) where a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is site-specific covalently bonded to Cysof the enzyme andarginase (BCA) where a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety is site-specific covalently bonded to Cysof the enzyme.

Fast and simple method of detecting the presence of chloramphenicol, a harmful compound if present in food products. The method makes use of a mutant chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and a fluorophore-linked chloramphenicol in a system where chloramphenicol and the fluorophore-linked chloramphenicol competes for the active site of the mutant CAT. Because the fluorophore-linked chloramphenicol reduces its fluorescence upon binding to the active site and vice versa increases its fluorescence upon being displaced from the active site by the presence of unmodified chloramphenicol in a sample, the increase of fluorescence caused by a testing sample indicates the presence of chloramphenicol.

Method and system for detection of chloramphenicol

Disclosed is a novel recombinant Bacillus bacterial strain constructed by genetic engineering which has high productivity of aipha-amylase. The Bacillus strain comprises an alpha-amylase gene inserted in the Bacillus chromosome under transcriptional control of a phage promoter. An efficient process for the rapid production of large amounts of alpha-amylase is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Hong Kong, China

Yun Chung Leung