Description:
Influenza virus is a prominent seasonal pathogen with the potential to break out into pandemic disease. Despite the availability of current seasonal influenza vaccines, the virus mutates rapidly and necessitates annual re-formulation of vaccines. Anthrax, conversely, is a disease that may be prevented with a single regimen of anti-anthrax vaccine injections. Like influenza virus, the anthrax bacterium remains at the forefront of possible bioterroristic agents, and the associated vaccine is vulnerable to improvement.
Here, a vaccine is described which stimulates a broadly neutralizing anti-influenza response alongside an anti-anthrax response. Mice immunized with a recombinant vaccine containing multiple influenza virus antigens and attenuated edema factor (EF) from Bacillus anthracis showed enhanced cross-reactive antibody responses to influenza antigens. Additionally, mice immunized with the recombinant vaccine plus protective antigen (PA) from Bacillus anthracis showed enhanced survival to challenge with influenza virus compared to other vaccine formulations. This vaccine offers a quick and easy method of providing broad-spectrum protection against influenza and anthrax in a single formulation.
Reference Number: D-1030
Market Applications:
At present, there is no commercially available universal influenza vaccine. Importantly, introduction of such a vaccine into the market will likely render all current seasonal influenza vaccines obsolete. In addition to the influenza virus market, the combinatorial influenza-anthrax vaccine described here will likely appeal to the biodefense community. Over the past decade, anthrax spores have emerged as a prominent agent of bioterrorism, and anthrax vaccination continues to be a major concern for those most at risk of an anthrax attack (i.e., military personnel).
Features, Benefits, & Advantages:
• Broadly protects against influenza
• Eliminates need to re-formulate vaccine annually
• Also protects against anthrax
• Requires fewer total injections than current anthrax vaccine
• Can be produced and purified quickly from bacterial cultures
• Can be used in people with egg allergies
• Elicits both antibody and T-cell responses
Intellectual Property:
A U.S. national stage patent application, 15/446,315 was filed on 03/01/17.
Development Stage:
This technology is a part of active and ongoing research.
Researchers:
Dr. Mingtao Zeng, Center of Excellence in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center - El Paso
Dr. Maria T. Arevalo, Center of Excellence in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- El Paso
Dr. Junwei Li, Center of Excellence in Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- El Paso
Keywords:
Influenza, Anthrax, M2e, HA2, Edema Factor (EF), Protective Antigen (PA), Dual Vaccine, Combinatorial Vaccine, Recombinant Vaccine, Broad-Spectrum Vaccine, Universal Influenza Vaccine