Novel Adjuvant: IL-1beta - Releasing agents as novel adjuvants

Reference Number: K 09-19

Inventors: Shi, Jishu; Blecha, Frank; McVey, David

Owner: Kansas State University Research Foundation

USPTO Link:

Invention Summary

Researchers at Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, are developing a patent pending adjuvant system for use in delivering antigens for vaccines.  These adjuvants comprise naturally occurring peptides or proteins, which induce the release of IL-1beta from cytokine producing cells.
   
Adjuvants are materials that can promote and/or prolong the immune response to antigens administered to the host.  Current adjuvant technologies include mineral oils and aluminum hydroxide, which can cause significant injection site reaction and which have safety concerns, have limited effectiveness in inducing an immune response, and sometimes are not compatible with both live and killed microbial antigens.  There is a need in the art for new and improved adjuvants for safely and effectively delivering a wide variety of antigens and initiating a prolonged immune response in the host.

Advantages

This adjuvant system offers potential advantages over current art:

• Safer – derived from natural occurring peptides and proteins  whereas mineral oils and aluminum hydroxide can cause injection site reaction

• More Potent – induces the release of IL-1beta which is directly involved in the development of adjuvanticity

• Versatile – compatible with live and killed microbial antigens and is useful in many different vaccines

Applications

Adjuvant system can potentially be used to formulate vaccines:

• Containing: protein or peptide antigens, killed bacteria or viruses, attenuated bacteria or viruses

• Preventing or Treating: infectious diseases and cancers in animals and humans