Patents Examined by Robert A. Zeman
  • Compositions and methods for preventing or treating infection
    Patent number: 9267947
    Abstract: The present invention provides a protein or a fragment or a variant of said protein, wherein the protein, fragment, or variant is capable of producing a protective immune response in an animal, wherein the immune response is protective against infection by Burkholderia species. Also provided is a method of preventing or treating infection in an animal caused by Burkholderia species which comprises administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention to the animal infected with Burkholderia species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Alfredo G. Torres, D. Mark Estes
  • strain
    Patent number: 9259019
    Abstract: Bifidobacterium strain AH121A is significantly immunomodulatory following oral consumption. The strain is useful as an immunomodulatory biotherapeutic agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: Mars, Incorporated, Alimentary Health Ltd.
    Inventors: Liam O'Mahony, Barry Kiely
  • Meningococcus adhesins NadA, App and ORF 40
    Patent number: 9249197
    Abstract: NadA, App and ORF40 function as adhesins in N. meningitidis. Adhesion nad be modulated by targeting these three proteins. NadA allelic variants are also disclosed. Autoproteolytic cleavage of App is disclosed, as is removal of the activity by mutagenesis. App is processed and secreted into culture medium when expressed in E. coli. Mature App proteins are disclosed. Knockout mutants are disclosed. Vesicles from non-Neisserial hosts with heterologous adhesion expression are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA
    Inventors: Maria Arico, Maurizio Comanducci
  • Thermophilic and thermoacidophilic glycosylation genes and enzymes from and related organisms, methods
    Patent number: 9234228
    Abstract: Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods for glycosylating and/or post-translationally modifying proteins using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE, LLC
    Inventors: David N. Thompson, William A. Apel, Vicki S. Thompson, David W. Reed, Jeffrey A. Lacey
  • Mutants of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins and uses thereof
    Patent number: 9228001
    Abstract: Mutants of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins comprising at least one amino acid substitution in at least one of Loop 1, Loop 2, or Loop 3 of Domain 4, nucleic acids, vectors, and host cells encoding such polypeptide mutants, and compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptide mutants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
    Inventor: Rodney K. Tweten
  • Transfection vector
    Patent number: 9228191
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel secretory signal, a novel plasmid containing the secretory signal, a transformed anaerobic bacterium transformed with said plasmid, a gene transfer carrier consisting of said anaerobic bacterium, and a pharmaceutical composition containing said carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Anaeropharma Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuko Shimatani-Shibata, Hitomi Shimizu-Matsuhashi, Takayuki Sasaki
  • Treponema pallidum triplet antigen
    Patent number: 9221884
    Abstract: A Treponema pallidum triplet antigen construct is disclosed which includes three Treponema pallidum antigens (TP15, TP17, and TP47), as well as a ten amino acid leader sequence (tag 261) and human copper zinc superoxide dismutase (hSOD). This construct is optimized for in vitro diagnosis of syphilis infection. Plasmids containing DNA encoding the triplet antigen, host cells, production methods, detection methods, and kits are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Zheng, Renee Yura, Jianping Yang
  • Primers for detecting plasmodium
    Patent number: 9222139
    Abstract: The present invention provides an easy and rapid method for detecting/identifying the presence or absence of specific Plasmodium parasites and four species of malaria parasites in a human specimen, an anti-malaria measure support system, and a malaria infection-prevention/treatment system, which can contribute to practical diagnosis in a malaria endemic area. According to the present invention, using a genus-specific primer set that can detect four Plasmodium parasites that infect humans at a time, and the primer sets each specific to each of four species of Plasmodium parasites (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, and P. ovale), the presence or absence of infection with these parasites can be detected/identified easily and rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignees: EHIME UNIVERSITY, OTSUKA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Tsuboi, Eun-Taek Han
  • Primers for detecting plasmodium
    Patent number: 9222140
    Abstract: The present invention provides an easy and rapid method for detecting/identifying the presence or absence of specific Plasmodium parasites and four species of malaria parasites in a human specimen, an anti-malaria measure support system, and a malaria infection-prevention/treatment system, which can contribute to practical diagnosis in a malaria endemic area. According to the present invention, using a genus-specific primer set that can detect four Plasmodium parasites that infect humans at a time, and the primer sets each specific to each of four species of Plasmodium parasites (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, and P. ovale), the presence or absence of infection with these parasites can be detected/identified easily and rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignees: EHIME UNIVERSITY, OTSUKA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Tsuboi, Eun-Taek Han
  • Antibiotic-free plasmids
    Patent number: 9217153
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of maintaining a gram negative bacterium plasmid without the use of antibiotic selection pressure. Further, the invention relates to the drugless plasmids produced including drugless plasmids containing a heterologous gene. The invention also provides formulations and/or compositions comprising the drugless plasmids comprising a heterologous gene, formulations and/or compositions comprising a protein or an immunogen expressed using the drugless plasmids, and methods of administering such formulations and/or compositions to a host. The invention relates to gram negative bacteria containing the drugless plasmids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: MERIAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jean Christophe Francis Audonnet, Edmond Jolivet
  • T7 phage peptide display system and uses thereof
    Patent number: 9217145
    Abstract: A bacteriophage T7 display vector for expressing and displaying an exogenous peptide, wherein the display vector comprises a polynucleotide encoding a bacteriophage T7 tail fiber protein p17 in which a hepatocyte-targeting determinant sequence is inactivated, and wherein a cloning site is contained in a coding sequence for the tail fiber protein p17 or in a coding sequence for a capsid protein p10B. Also provided are a host cell containing the display vector as described above, a bacteriophage T7 particle comprising at least one copy of a p17 protein which comprises an exogenous peptide displayed thereon, or at least one copy of a p10 protein with an exogenous peptide displayed thereon, wherein a hepatocyte-targeting determinant sequence on the bacteriophage T7 tail fiber protein p17 is inactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Alexander V. Sokoloff, Jon Asher Wolff, James John Ludtke
  • Primers for detecting plasmodium
    Patent number: 9200332
    Abstract: The present invention provides an easy and rapid method for detecting/identifying the presence or absence of specific Plasmodium parasites and four species of malaria parasites in a human specimen, an anti-malaria measure support system, and a malaria infection-prevention/treatment system, which can contribute to practical diagnosis in a malaria endemic area. According to the present invention, using a genus-specific primer set that can detect four Plasmodium parasites that infect humans at a time, and the primer sets each specific to each of four species of Plasmodium parasites (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, and P. ovale), the presence or absence of infection with these parasites can be detected/identified easily and rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: EHIME UNIVERSITY, OTSUKA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi Tsuboi, Eun-Taek Han
  • Use of parasitic biological agents for disease prevention and control
    Patent number: 9192633
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of treating an excessive immune response including an aberrant/enhanced Th1 response by administering a helminthic parasite preparation in an amount sufficient to reduce the excessive immune response in an individual. This invention is generally directed to autoimmune diseases which involve an excessive immune response or an aberrant/enhanced Th1 response. More specifically, the present invention is directed to the treatment of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, both known as IBD. While the present invention discloses specific information about the treatment of IBD, the disclosure is in no way limiting. Additionally, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, lupus erythematosis, sarcoidosis, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroiditis, allergic rhinitis, colon polyps/colon cancer and asthma can be treated by the methods and compositions disclosed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
    Inventors: Joel V. Weinstock, David E. Elliott
  • Inhibitors of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) conjugates
    Patent number: 9127079
    Abstract: Described herein are isolated polypeptides having phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) inhibitory activity, vectors and cells for the expression thereof and methods for their use in treating diseases associated with cytotoxic stress, such as spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
    Inventors: Yu Tian Wang, Shu Zhang, Changiz Taghibiglou
  • Human antibodies against LPS derived from transgenic xenomouse
    Patent number: 9089557
    Abstract: The invention described herein provides for human antibodies produced in non-human animals that specifically bind to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The invention further provides methods for making the antibodies in a non-human animal, expression of the antibodies in cell lines including hybridomas and recombinant host cell systems. Also provided are kits and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies and methods of treating or preventing pseudomonas infection by administering to a patient the pharmaceutical compositions described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: John R. Schreiber, Kulwant Kamboj Kaur
  • Toll-like receptor 5 ligands and methods of use
    Patent number: 9085616
    Abstract: The invention provides methods to elicit an immune response with an immunomodulatory flagellin polypeptide having toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) binding, and further comprising an ADCC targeting molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignees: THE UNIVERSITY FOR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
    Inventors: Alan Aderem, Fumitaka Hayashi, Kelly D. Smith, David M. Underhill, Adrian Ozinsky
  • Reduced genome
    Patent number: 9085765
    Abstract: Reduced genome strains of E. coli MGl 655 are described. In various embodiments, the strains have one or more of equal or improved growth rate, transformation efficiency, protein expression, DNA production, DNA yield and/or DNA quality compared to the parental strain and commercially available strains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SCARAB GENOMICS LLC
    Inventors: John W. Campbell, Frederick R. Blattner, Guy Plunkett, Gyorgy Posfai
  • Vaccination against host cell-associated herpes viruses
    Patent number: 9073979
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of so-called “host cell-associated herpes viruses,” such as Marek's disease-like virus (MDV) of poultry and Varicella Zoster virus (VZV) of man, and to vaccination against disease caused by these viruses. The invention provides a vaccine directed against an infection caused by a herpes virus that is essentially host cell-associated comprising a recombinant viral genome derived from the herpes virus, the genome allowing recombination essentially free of the host cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Lohmann Animal Health GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Fehler, Klaus Osterrieder
  • Yeast-based vaccines
    Patent number: 9066893
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for culturing yeast at a neutral pH level. Yeast cultured under neutral pH conditions exhibit desirable characteristics useful for biological purposes, such as the development of vaccines, prophylactics and therapeutics. The invention also provides for compositions and kits comprising yeast grown using the methodologies disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: GlobelImmune, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Franzusoff, Deborah Quick
  • Coccidiosis vaccines
    Patent number: 9050281
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a vaccine that provides protection from coccidiosis, and methods of making and using the vaccine alone, or in combination with other protective agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Intervet Inc.
    Inventors: Marcelo Lang, Charles Timothy Broussard, Joan S. Schrader