Anthelmintic compositions and methods
AssigneeUniversity of Massachusetts
InventorsRaffi Van AROIAN, Gary R. OSTROFF
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compositions and methods for treating or reducing the severity or likelihood of occurrence of a parasitic worm or helminth infection in a subject are described. The methods include administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a killed or inactivated recombinant bacterium expressing a crystal protein such as a Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein (Cry) in the cytosol of the bacterium. The crystal proteins may be full length, truncated, variant, or sub-variant Cry proteins. Examples of crystal proteins include Cry5B, Cry21, Cry14A, Cry6A, and Cry13A. The recombinant bacteria may be treated with an anti-microbial agent before or during administration to a subject.
Claims24
1-14. (canceled)
A method for producing an anthelmintic pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium that expresses a nematicidal protein to an antimicrobial agent, thereby killing or inactivating the genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium to produce a killed or inactivated bacterium, and
- (b) formulating the killed or inactivated bacterium in an orally-available dosage form.
(canceled)
(canceled)
35-48. (canceled)
A method for producing an anthelmintic pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium that expresses a nematicidal protein to an antimicrobial agent, thereby killing or inactivating the genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium to produce a killed or inactivated bacterium;
- and
- (b) formulating the killed or inactivated bacterium in an orally-available dosage form,
- wherein the nematicidal protein is Cry5B.
A method for producing an anthelmintic pharmaceutical composition, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium that expresses Cry5B to an antimicrobial agent, thereby killing or inactivating the genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium to produce an inactivated or killed bacterium;
- (b) lyophilizing or spray drying the inactivated or killed bacterium to produce a dried powder;
- and
- (c) encapsulating the dried powder in a pharmaceutical-grade capsule,
- wherein the bacterium has a genetic mutation that results in a defect in sporulation such that Cry5B is trapped in the cytosol of the genetically engineered, non-sporulating bacterium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.