Patents Examined by Agnieszka Boesen
  • Methods for rapid detection and identification of viral nucleic acids
    Patent number: 11306367
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of detecting viral nucleic acids in a sample that include contacting the sample with one or more sets of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) primers specific for a viral nucleic acid of interest (such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis E virus, human immunodeficiency virus, West Nile virus, or Dengue virus nucleic acids) under conditions sufficient to produce an amplification product and detecting the amplification product(s). In some examples, the amplification product is detected by gel electrophoresis, while in other examples, the amplification product is detected by detecting signal from a label included in one or more of the LAMP primers. Primers and kits for use for detection of viral nucleic acids by LAMP are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventor: Dougbeh-Chris Nyan
  • Delivery of RNA to trigger multiple immune pathways
    Patent number: 11291682
    Abstract: RNA encoding an immunogen is co-delivered to non-immune cells at the site of delivery and also to immune cells which infiltrate the site of delivery. The responses of these two cell types to the same delivered RNA lead to two different effects, which interact to produce a strong immune response against the immunogen. The non-immune cells translate the RNA and express the immunogen. Infiltrating immune cells respond to the RNA by expressing type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines which produce a local adjuvant effect which acts on the immunogen-expressing non-immune cells to upregulate major histocompatibility complex expression, thereby increasing presentation of the translated protein to T cells. The effects on the immune and non-immune cells can be achieved by a single delivery of a single RNA e.g. by a single injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: GLAXOSMITHKLINE BIOLOGICALS SA
    Inventors: Andrew Geall, Katrin Ramsauer, Gillis Otten, Christian Walter Mandl
  • Viral vaccines and methods of forming the same
    Patent number: 11286464
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method for producing an inactivated virus including a) heating the virus to a temperature sufficient to disrupt the virus membrane; b) exposing the virus of step (a) to an RNA degrading enzyme; and c) cooling the virus to a temperature sufficient to reestablish the integrity of the virus membrane. Also provided herein is a vaccine produced using the instant method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: NDSU RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventor: Sheela Ramamoorthy
  • Multivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccines
    Patent number: 11278612
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are multivalent nanoparticle vaccine compositions suitable for use in influenza vaccines. The nanoparticles include effective amounts of influenza glycoproteins that provide increased immune responses compared to a commercially available influenza vaccine composition. The present disclosure also provides vaccine formulation strategies that are cost effective and are convenient for clinical use. Methods of administering the nanoparticle vaccine compositions to a subject are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Novavax, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarathi Boddapati, Anushree Herwadkar, Jason Wong, Yen-Huei Lin, Gale Smith, Jing-Hui Tian
  • Vaccine compositions having improved stability and immunogenicity
    Patent number: 11253585
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are nanoparticles suitable for use in vaccines. The nanoparticles present antigens from pathogens surrounded to and associated with a detergent core resulting in enhanced stability and good immunogenicity. Dosages, formulations, and methods for preparing the vaccines and nanoparticles are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Novavax, Inc.
    Inventors: Gale Smith, Ye Liu, Jing-Hui Tian, Michael J. Massare, Sarathi Boddapati, Erica Shane, Cynthia Oliver, Gregory Glenn
  • Optimized oncolytic viruses and uses thereof
    Patent number: 11253558
    Abstract: Methods of inhibiting or reducing tumor growth are disclosed. A composition containing at least one selected oncolytic virus is administered within a tumor of a patient. The virus kills cancerous cells and induces a systemic and lasting anti-tumor immunity that is also compatible with other cancer treatments. Also disclosed are methods of creating synthetic viruses for targeting cancerous tumors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Inventors: Peter M. Chumakov, Anastasia V. Lipatova, Stepan P. Chumakov, Natalia D. Tararova, Stephen A. Charles, Anton A. Komar
  • Hybrid hepadnavirus cores carrying multiple malaria parasite epitopes
    Patent number: 11235045
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to rodent hepadnavirus core antigens including one or more B cell and T cell epitopes of a malaria parasite antigen. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to hybrid woodchuck hepadnavirus core antigens that have been modified to diminish the antibody response to the core antigen so as to enhance the antibody response to fragments of malaria antigen(s) included therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: VLP Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Milich, David C. Whitacre
  • Influenza virus mutants and uses therefor
    Patent number: 11207399
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods related to mutant viruses, and in particular, mutant influenza viruses. The mutant viruses disclosed herein include a mutant M2 sequence, and are useful in immunogenic compositions, e.g., as vaccines. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions and cells for propagating the viral mutants, and methods, devices and compositions related to vaccination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FluGen, Inc.
    Inventors: Pamuk Bilsel, Yasuko Hatta
  • Compositions and methods for treating arenavirus infection
    Patent number: 11191823
    Abstract: The invention generally provides compositions and methods of treating or preventing an arenavirus infection, using an agent that inhibits binding of an arenavirus glycoprotein 1 (GP1) polypeptide to transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1). The invention also provides methods of designing or identifying therapeutic agents that bind to or target a GP1 receptor-binding site (RBS) to inhibit arenavirus attachment to a cell, and therapeutic agents identified using the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION, DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Abraham, Stephen Harrison, Kai Wucherpfennig
  • Hepatitis B treatment vaccine base on inactivated whole recombinant Hansenula polymorpha cells which expresses HBsAg and HBcAg
    Patent number: 11191829
    Abstract: Provided is a hepatitis B treatment vaccine based on an inactivated whole recombinant Hansenula polymorpha cell which expresses HBsAg and HBcAg. An HBsAgVLP and an HBcAgVLP expressed in the recombinant Hansenula polymorpha cell are used as antigens, the amino acid sequence of the HBsAg expressed by the recombinant Hansenula polymorpha contains a total of 19 CTL epitopes, the amino acid sequence of the HBcAg expressed by the recombinant Hansenula polymorpha contains a total of 19 CTL epitopes, and the inactivated whole recombinant Hansenula polymorpha cell is used as an adjuvant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Hemu Wang
  • Multivalent enterovirus vaccine compositions and uses related thereto
    Patent number: 11160857
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to multivalent enterovirus vaccine compositions and uses related thereto. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to vaccine compositions comprising multivalent, mixtures of enterovirus (for example HRV) serotypes or recombinantly produced variants or recombinantly produced viral capsid proteins. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of immunization comprising administering an effective amount of compositions disclosed herein to a subject diagnosed with, exhibiting symptoms of, or at risk of an enterovirus infection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: Emory University, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin L. Moore, Sujin Lee, Minh Trang Nguyen
  • Method for serological detection of viral antigens
    Patent number: 11150247
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for detecting a core polypeptide of a hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a sample from a subject involving (a) contacting said sample with a base and with a surfactant having a cationic detergent, and (b) detecting a core polypeptide of the HCV in the sample. The present invention further relates to a method for pre-processing a sample from a subject for detection of HCV, involving contacting the sample with a base and with a surfactant having a cationic detergent; and to a pre-processing reagent for detecting HCV in a sample, having a base and a surfactant including a cationic detergent, wherein the surfactant also has a nonionic detergent. Moreover, the present disclosure further relates to kits, uses, and devices related to the methods disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Bollhagen, Barbara Upmeier, Toralf Zarnt, Peter Muench, Manfred Ginter
  • Specific binding agents to varicella-zoster virus and uses related thereto
    Patent number: 11147870
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to specific binding agents to varicella-zoster virus proteins or glycoproteins. In certain embodiments the specific binding agents are antibodies and binding fragments thereof disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, this disclosure relates to methods of treating or preventing a varicella-zoster infection comprising administering an effective amount of a specific binding agent disclosed herein to a subject in need thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Emory University
    Inventors: Rafi Ahmed, Nicole Sullivan
  • Stabilized influenza hemagglutinin stem region trimers and uses thereof
    Patent number: 11147867
    Abstract: Vaccines that elicit broadly protective anti-influenza antibodies. Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display HA trimers from influenza virus on their surface. The nanoparticles are fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit (e.g., ferritin) joined to the stem region of an influenza HA protein. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the HA-displaying nanoparticles. The vaccines comprise only the stem region of an influenza HA protein joined to a trimerization domain. Also provided are fusion proteins, and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins, and assays using nanoparticles of the invention to detect anti-influenza antibodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: John R. Mascola, Jeffrey C. Boyington, Hadi M. Yassine, Peter D. Kwong, Barney S. Graham, Masaru Kanekiyo
  • Humanized influenza monoclonal antibodies and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 11135282
    Abstract: The present invention provides structural determinants important for binding to the stem domain of the HA protein of influenza virus, and methods of use thereof for production of high affinity neutralizing influenza virus antibodies based upon these determinants. The present invention further provides tools for determining the efficacy of an influenza virus vaccine. The present invention further provides a molecular signature useful for determining the efficacy of an influenza virus vaccine in a subject, or for predicting prior immunologic exposure or antigen responsiveness to vaccine or influenza virus infection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventor: Wayne A. Marasco
  • Methods of curing HBV infection and providing complete protection against HBV infection
    Patent number: 11136378
    Abstract: Disclosed are the methods of curing HBV infection and providing complete protection against HBV infection in a simplified HBV immunization schedule. The mechanistic basis for curing HBV infection is founded on the understanding that hepatitis B virus infection is established and prolonged by new rounds of infection with continuously produced viruses, which are not fully neutralized because of insufficient endogenous neutralizing antibodies. The methods of curing HBV infection including chronic HBV infection are aimed to block new rounds of HBV infection. The guidelines for establishing treatment regimens for curing HBV infection, include production or administration of sufficient level of HBV neutralizing antibodies in treated patients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: HBVtech LLC
    Inventor: Yong-Yuan Zhang
  • T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptides and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 11117945
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides variant immunomodulatory polypeptides, and fusion polypeptides comprising the variant immunomodulatory peptides. The present disclosure provides T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptides, and compositions comprising same, where the T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptides comprise a variant immunomodulatory polypeptide of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptides, and host cells comprising the nucleic acids. The present disclosure provides methods of modulating the activity of a T cell; the methods comprise contacting the T cell with a T-cell modulatory multimeric polypeptide of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Cue Biopharma, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Seidel, III, Rodolfo J. Chaparro
  • Influenza vaccines
    Patent number: 11111277
    Abstract: Provided herein are compositions related to vaccines, e.g., influenza vaccines, including, peptide based vaccines, nucleic acid based vaccines, recombinant virus based vaccines, antibody based vaccines, and virus based vaccines. Also provided herein are methods related to vaccines, e.g., influenza vaccines, including methods of identifying epitopes for the vaccines, producing, formulating, and administering the vaccines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: InvVax, Inc., The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Arthur Young, Ren Sun, Nicholas C. Wu
  • Immunogenetic restriction on elicitation of antibodies
    Patent number: 11104722
    Abstract: The present invention provides structural determinants important for binding to the stem domain of the HA protein of influenza virus, and methods of use thereof for production of high affinity neutralizing influenza virus antibodies based upon these determinants. The present invention further provides tools for determining the efficacy of an influenza virus vaccine. The present invention further provides a molecular signature useful for determining the efficacy of an influenza virus vaccine in a subject, or for predicting prior immunologic exposure or antigen responsiveness to vaccine or influenza virus infection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne A. Marasco, Yuval Avnir
  • Induce and enhance immune responses using recombinant replicon systems
    Patent number: 11083786
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the use of different self-amplifying RNA molecules to enhance immune responses, for example immune responses following prophylactic vaccination or therapeutic administration. Some embodiments relate to compositions and methods for inducing an immune response in a subject using prime-boost immunization regimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kurt Iver Kamrud, Nathaniel Stephen Wang, Parinaz Aliahmad, Jason DeHart