# US 7,608,268 B2 · Ferritin fusion proteins for use in vaccines and other applications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,268 B2 - Document ID: US7608268B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/374,066 - Filed: 2006-03-14 - Published: 2006-11-09 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2002-05-10 - Assignees: New Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Inventors: Daniel C. Carter; Chester Q. Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608268B2 ## CPC - C07K 14/005: from viruses - A61K 39/12: Viral antigens - A61K 39/21: Retroviridae, e.g. equine infectious anemia virus - A61K 39/385: Haptens or antigens, bound to carriers - C07K 14/47: from mammals - C07K 14/805: Haemoglobins; Myoglobins - C12N 15/62: DNA sequences coding for fusion proteins - A61K 38/00: Medicinal preparations containing peptides (peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00) - A61K 39/00: Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies (materials for immunoassay G01N33/53) - A61K 2039/6031: {Proteins} - C07K 2319/00: Fusion polypeptide - C07K 2319/10: containing a tag for extracellular membrane crossing, e.g. TAT or VP22 - C07K 2319/40: containing a tag for immunodetection, or an epitope for immunisation - C07K 2319/735: containing a domain for self-assembly, e.g. a viral coat protein (includes phage display) - C12N 2740/16222: New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes - C12N 2740/16234: Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein - C12N 2740/16322: New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes - C12N 2740/16334: Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein - C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) ## Abstract An isolated ferritin fusion protein is provided in which ferritin is fused with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric self-assembly of the resulting fusion protein, and the protein may be of the endocapsid form when fused at the C terminus or an exocapsid form when fused at the N terminus. These fusion proteins may self-assemble into a variety of useful higher polymeric forms, e.g., capsid or other polymeric aggregate, and they are advantageous in that they are useful in a variety of applications, including human and veterinary vaccines and therapeutics, blood substitutes, image contrast agents, metal chelating agents, gelling agents, protein purification platforms, and therapeutic receptor-binding proteins. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ferritin fusion protein comprising a fusion protein selected from the group consisting of an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the C terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein and an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the N terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein, wherein the protein is connected to ferritin by means of a spacer comprising at least one amino acid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 1 wherein the fusion protein forms a polymer aggregate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 1 wherein the fusion protein forms a capsid assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 1 wherein the amino acid is glycine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 4 wherein the glycine spacer has from one to six glycine units. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 1 wherein the protein fused to ferritin is selected from the group consisting of hemoglobin, silver condensing peptide, the HIV Tat protein, the small HIV Tat peptide, HIV-1 P24 protein, and viral proteins from the SARS or AIDS viruses. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 1 wherein the protein fused to ferritin is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO: 7. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ferritin fusion protein according to claim 1 that is prepared using recombinant means. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An immunogenic composition comprising an immunogenic amount of the fusion protein according to claim 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A composition comprising the fusion protein according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, carrier or excipient. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The composition according to claim 10 which is suitable for parenteral, oral, intranasal, subcutaneous, aerosolized or intravenous administration in a human or animal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of eliciting an immunogenic reaction in a human or animal comprising administering to said human or animal an immunologically effective amount of an isolated fusion protein according to claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An isolated nucleic acid sequence coding for the fusion protein according to claim 1, or degenerates thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of metal scavenging comprising introducing the fusion protein of claim 1 having a metal scavenging peptide fused to ferritin into a fluid containing the metals to be scavenged for a time sufficient to allow the metal to bond with the metal scavenging peptide of the fusion protein, and then recovering the fusion protein having the metal bound thereto. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A composition comprising an immunogenic amount of the fusion protein according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, carrier or excipient. ### Claim 16 A ferritin fusion protein comprising a fusion protein selected from the group consisting of an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the C terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein and an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the N terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein, wherein the protein fused to ferritin is selected from the group consisting of hemoglobin, silver condensing peptide, the HIV Tat protein, the small HIV Tat peptide, HIV-1 P24 protein, and viral proteins from the SARS or MDS viruses. ### Claim 17 A ferritin fusion protein comprising a fusion protein selected from the group consisting of an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the C terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein and an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the N terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein, wherein the protein fused to ferritin is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO: 7. ### Claim 18 A method of eliciting an immunogenic reaction in a human or animal comprising administering to said human or animal an immunologically effective amount of an isolated ferritin fusion protein, said ferritin fusion protein comprising a fusion protein selected from the group consisting of an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the C terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein and an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the N terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein. ### Claim 19 A method of metal scavenging comprising: introducing a fusion protein having a metal scavenging peptide fused to ferritin into a fluid containing the metals to be scavenged for a time sufficient to allow the metal to bond with the metal scavenging peptide of the fusion protein, and then recovering the fusion protein having the metal bound thereto, wherein the fusion protein is selected from the group consisting of an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the C terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein and an L-chain ferritin protein fused at the N terminus with a protein or peptide capable of being fused to ferritin without interfering with the polymeric assembly of the resulting fusion protein.