Abstract: This disclosure relates to an antibody that can protect against ETEC infection in a passive immunization set up. More specifically, it relates to a VHH grafted on an IgA scaffold and produced in plant seeds. When the seeds are given in food or feed, the subject is protected against ETEC infection.
Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of disorders of the central nervous system, in particular neurological and psychiatric disorders, and the prevention and/or treatment thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to the finding that soluble amyloid precursor protein a (sAPP?) presents a particular binding site, which allows for binding to the GABABR1a receptor, thereby causing an agonistic effect through specific binding to Sushi domain 1 of GABABR1a. As a result, the frequencies of excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents are reduced. Accordingly, the invention provides compounds able to interfere with the association of sAPP? with Sushi domain 1 of GABABR1a and as such with selective impairment of GABABR1sa beneficial in neurological and psychiatric disorders. The invention as well provides methods and (high content) screening assays for the production of said compounds.
Abstract: This disclosure relates to the field of plant molecular biology; more particularly to the field of agriculture; even more particularly to the field of improving the yield of plants. This disclosure provides chimeric genes and constructs that can be used to enhance the yield in plants and crops.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 3, 2014
Date of Patent:
October 13, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Universiteit Gent
Inventors:
Dirk Gustaaf Inzé, Hannes Claeys, Hilde Nelissen, Xiaohuan Sun
Abstract: The present invention is in the field of agricultural pathogen control. More specifically the invention relates to compounds capable of inhibiting cinnamate-4-hydroxylase and their use for protecting plants against plant pathogens, in particular against nematodes, fungi and/or bacteria. The invention also provides for compositions comprising the same, methods of making the same, and methods of controlling plant disease.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a modified cytokine of the TNF superfamily, with reduced activity to its receptor, wherein said modified cytokine is specifically delivered to target cells. Preferably, said modified cytokine is a single chain variant of the TNF superfamily, even more preferably, one or more of the chains can-y one or more mutations, resulting in a low affinity to the receptor, wherein said mutant cytokine is specifically delivered to target cells. The targeting is realized by fusion of the modified cytokine of the TNF superfamily to a targeting moiety, preferably an antibody or antibody-like molecule. The invention relates further to the use of such targeted modified cytokine of the TNF superfamily to treat diseases.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 14, 2019
Date of Patent:
September 29, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, UNIVERSITEIT GENT, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITË DE MONTPELLIER, CENTRE HOSPITALIER REGIONAL UNIVERSITAIRE DE MONTPELLIER
Inventors:
Jan Tavernier, Jennyfer Bultinck, Frank Peelman, Gilles Uze
Abstract: The present application relates to the field of cancer, particularly that of cancers with high MDM4 protein levels (such as melanoma, breast, colon or lung cancers, glioblastoma, retinoblastoma, etc.). It is shown herein that direct and selective inhibition of MDM4, e.g., by antisense RNA, leads to growth inhibition of cancer cells and sensitization to chemo or targeted therapies. Also provided are simple ways of determining which patients are most amenable for such treatment by comparing specific transcript levels.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 16, 2015
Date of Patent:
September 8, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K.U.Leuven R&D, Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Inventors:
Jean-Christophe Marine, Ernesto Guccione, Marco Bezzi
Abstract: The present invention provides methods and kits for preparing a collection of degraded DNA fragments isolated from a biofluid sample of an individual. The prepared collection of nucleic acid sequences can be used in a diagnostic method such as for example detection and/or prognosis of cancer.
Abstract: The present invention relates to nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance muscle-specific expression of genes, in particular expression in cardiac muscle and/or skeletal muscle, methods employing these regulatory elements and uses of these elements. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these nucleic acid regulatory elements are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, more particularly muscle-directed gene therapy, and for vaccination purposes.
Abstract: The compounds, compositions and methods provided herein antagonize, inhibit, decrease, reduce, suppress, or disrupt CD1d-mediated, iNKT cell-mediated, and/or iNKT cell TCR-mediated immune signaling. The sphingamide compounds were rationally designed based upon 3D structural considerations in relation to the structures of each of CD1d, the iNKT cell TCR, and the ternary complex CD1d-a-GalCer analog lipids-TCR. More specifically, the addition of an amide in the phytosphingosine tail of a derivative of ?-GalCer led to a non-conserved binding with CD1d, a conserved binding with the iNKT cell TCR, and an antagonist-like phenotype.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 14, 2016
Date of Patent:
July 28, 2020
Assignees:
La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, Universiteit Gent, VIB VZW
Inventors:
Dirk Zajonc, Serge Van Calenbergh, Dirk Elewaut, Joren Guillaume
Abstract: The present invention relates to novel inhibitors of IL-33. More specifically, it relates to a fusion protein of the soluble IL-33 receptor with the soluble IL-1RAcP as inhibitor of IL-33 activity. The invention relates further to the use of the inhibitor in treatment of IL-33-related diseases such as, but not limited to, asthma, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 10, 2013
Date of Patent:
July 7, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Universiteit Gent
Inventors:
Rudi Beyaert, Harald Braun, Bart Lambrecht, Hamida Hammad
Abstract: This disclosure relates to a virus-like particle in which a small molecule-protein complex is entrapped, ensuring the formation of the small molecule-protein complex under physiological conditions, while protecting the small molecule-protein complex during purification and identification. The disclosure further relates to the use of such virus-like particle for the isolation and identification of small molecule-protein complexes.
Abstract: The application relates to the field of structural biology. More specifically, the disclosure relates to methods for the identification and characterization of biomolecular tools allowing the selective recognition and/or stabilization of distinct conformational states of protein complexes, including transient protein-protein interactions and protein-nucleic acid complexes. Such tools can then be used for purification purposes, crystallization and structure determination of these stabilized protein complexes, for drug discovery, as research tools, as well as for diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 17, 2015
Date of Patent:
May 5, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Inventors:
Jan Steyaert, Alexandre Wohlkönig, Sarah Triest
Abstract: The present invention relates to a fusion protein comprising at least two cytokines, of which at least one is a modified cytokine with a strongly reduced binding affinity to its receptor, or to one of its receptors. Preferably, both cytokines are connected by a linker, preferably a GGS linker. The invention relates further to said fusion protein for use in treatment of diseases.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 3, 2014
Date of Patent:
May 5, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, UNIVERSITEIT GENT, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITÉ MONTPELLIER 2, CENTRE HOSPITALIER REGIONAL UNIVERSITAIRE DE MONTPELLIER
Inventors:
Jan Tavernier, Jennyfer Bultinck, Sarah Gerlo, Gilles Uze, Franciane Paul, Yann Bordat
Abstract: Described are mismatch repair (MMR-)deficient tumors. Markers are presented herein having a high sensitivity to detect whether a tumor is mismatch repair deficient or not. The markers are particularly mutations in microsatellite regions. Accordingly, methods and materials are provided for diagnosing microsatellite instability of a tumor. Such a method comprises determining the presence of these markers. Further, kits are provided to detect the presence of these markers (or subsets thereof) in a sample.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 3, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 28, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Life Sciences Research Partners VZW
Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) structural biology and signaling. In particular, the present disclosure relates to binding domains directed against and/or specifically binding to GPCR:G protein complexes. Also provided are nucleic acid sequences encoding such binding domains and cells expressing or capable of expressing such binding domains. The binding domains of the present disclosure can be used as universal tools for the structural and functional characterization of G-protein coupled receptors in complex with downstream heterotrimeric G proteins and bound to various natural or synthetic ligands, for investigating the dynamic features of G protein activation, as well as for screening and drug discovery efforts that make use of GPCR:G protein complexes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 1, 2017
Date of Patent:
April 21, 2020
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, The Regents of the University of Michigan
Inventors:
Jan Steyaert, Els Pardon, Toon Laeremans, Brian Kobilka, Soren G. F. Rasmussen, Sebastien Granier, Roger K. Sunahara
Abstract: The present invention relates to genes conferring acetic acid tolerance in yeast. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of DOT5, preferably in combination with CUP2 and/or HAA1 to obtain acid tolerance in yeast. Even more preferably, the invention relates to specific alleles of said genes, and to yeast strains comprising said specific alleles.
Abstract: The disclosure provides compositions and methods comprising a sialoadhesin binding moiety for treating metabolic and genetic bone disease, especially for treating a bone disorder of hyper-resorption of bone and/or enhanced activation of osteoclasts.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 30, 2015
Date of Patent:
November 19, 2019
Assignees:
Universiteit Gent, VIB VZW
Inventors:
Dirk Elewaut, Els Louagie, Nele Juchtmans
Abstract: Described are nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance liver-specific expression of genes, methods employing these regulatory elements and uses of these elements. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these nucleic acid regulatory elements are also disclosed. These are particularly useful for applications using gene therapy.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 30, 2018
Date of Patent:
November 12, 2019
Assignees:
VIB VZW, Universiteit Gent
Inventors:
Marinee Chuah, Thierry Vandendriessche, Pieter De Bleser
Abstract: The present invention relates to novel nucleic acid sequences encoding bacterial xylose isomerases that upon transformation of a eukaryotic microbial host cell, such as yeast, to confer to the host cell the ability of isomerising xylose to xylulose. The nucleic acid sequences encode xylose isomerases that originate from bacteria such as Eubacterium sp., Clostridium cellulosi and others. The invention further relates to fermentation processes wherein the transformed host cells ferment a xylose-containing medium to produce ethanol or other fermentation products.