Dampening of an immunodominant epitope of an antigen for use in plant, animal and human vaccines and immunotherapies
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
InventorsRobert R. Garrity, Peter L. Nara, Jaap Goudsmit
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Abstract
The present invention provides a vaccine that can be administered to a mammal to cause immunoprotection in the mammal against a pathogenic organism that has an immunodominant epitope. The vaccine includes a modified form of the antigen in which the immunodominant epitope is located. In this modified form, the immunodominant epitope is immunodampened by any of a number of techniques. Examples of immunodampening techniques include addition of N-linked glycosylation sites, change of the net charge on the epitope, and substitution with a tolerated sequence. The vaccine also includes a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.
Claims14
An immunogenic composition, comprising:
- a modified form of a native antigen of a pathogen, the native antigen having disposed at a position thereon an immunodominant epitope comprising a plurality of amino acids, said modified form of the native antigen having a modified epitope at the position of the immunodominant epitope of the native antigen, said modified epitope having been immunodampened so as to substantially redirect an immune response away from the modified epitope and toward a different part of said modified form of the native antigen;
- and
- a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.