Patents by Inventor Chih-jen Wei

Chih-jen Wei has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11904009
    Abstract: Ferritin proteins comprising a mutation replacing a surface-exposed amino acid with a cysteine, an N- or C-terminal linker comprising a cysteine, and/or one or more immune-stimulatory moieties linked to the ferritin protein via a surface-exposed amino acid are disclosed. The ferritin proteins can further comprise a non-ferritin polypeptide and be antigenic, e.g., for use in eliciting antibodies against the non-ferritin polypeptide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SANOFI
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Kurt Swanson
  • Publication number: 20240050518
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic EBV polypeptides and their use in eliciting antibodies against EBV. Also disclosed are antigenic polypeptides comprising an EBV polypeptide and a ferritin protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: SANOFI
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Laura Nguyen, Kurt Swanson, Te-Hui Chou, Stefan Koester
  • Publication number: 20230277619
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic EBV polypeptides and their use in eliciting antibodies against EBV. Also disclosed are antigenic polypeptides comprising an EBV polypeptide and a ferritin protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: SANOFI
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Laura Nguyen, Kurt Swanson, Te-Hui Chou, Stefan Koester
  • Patent number: 11617780
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic EBV polypeptides and their use in eliciting antibodies against EBV. Also disclosed are antigenic polypeptides comprising an EBV polypeptide and a ferritin protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: SANOFI
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Laura Nguyen, Kurt Swanson, Te-Hui Chou, Stefan Koester
  • Publication number: 20220119457
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic multimeric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) G polypeptides for use in eliciting an immune response to RSV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Sanofi
    Inventors: Kurt Swanson, Chih-Jen Wei, Gary J. Nabel
  • Publication number: 20210113681
    Abstract: Ferritin proteins comprising a mutation replacing a surface-exposed amino acid with a cysteine, an N- or C-terminal linker comprising a cysteine, and/or one or more immune-stimulatory moieties linked to the ferritin protein via a surface-exposed amino acid are disclosed. The ferritin proteins can further comprise a non-ferritin polypeptide and be antigenic, e.g., for use in eliciting antibodies against the non-ferritin polypeptide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: SANOFI
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Kurt Swanson
  • Publication number: 20210017238
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic OspA polypeptides and their use in eliciting antibodies against OspA. Also disclosed are antigenic polypeptides comprising an OspA polypeptide and a ferritin protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Sanofi
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Heather Kamp, Ronnie Wei, Kurt Swanson
  • Publication number: 20210015896
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic EBV polypeptides and their use in eliciting antibodies against EBV. Also disclosed are antigenic polypeptides comprising an EBV polypeptide and a ferritin protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Sanofi
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Laura Nguyen, Kurt Swanson, Te-Hui Chou, Stefan Koester
  • Publication number: 20210017237
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to antigenic respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) polypeptides for use in eliciting antibodies against RSV. Also disclosed are antigenic polypeptides comprising an RSV polypeptide and a ferritin protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Sanofi
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Kurt Swanson, Pradeep Dhal, Ram Dharanipragada, Magnus Besev
  • Patent number: 10137190
    Abstract: Novel vaccines are provided that elicit broadly neutralizing anti-influenza antibodies. Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display hemagglutinin trimers from influenza virus on their surface. The nanoparticles comprise fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit of ferritin joined to at least a portion of an influenza hemagglutinin protein. Some portions comprise the ectodomain while some portions are limited to the stem region. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the hemagglutinin-displaying nanoparticles. Some vaccines comprise only the stem region of an influenza hemagglutinin protein joined to a trimerization domain. Such vaccines can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by heterologous influenza viruses and influenza virus that are antigenically divergent from the virus from which the nanoparticle hemagglutinin protein was obtained. Also provided are fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Masaru Kanekiyo, Chih-Jen Wei, Patrick M. McTamney, Hadi M. Yassine, Jeffrey C. Boyington
  • Publication number: 20170189518
    Abstract: Novel vaccines are provided that elicit broadly neutralizing anti-influenza antibodies. Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display hemagglutinin trimers from influenza virus on their surface. The nanoparticles comprise fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit of ferritin joined to at least a portion of an influenza hemagglutinin protein. Some portions comprise the ectodomain while some portions are limited to the stem region. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the hemagglutinin-displaying nanoparticles. Some vaccines comprise only the stem region of an influenza hemagglutinin protein joined to a trimerization domain. Such vaccines can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by heterologous influenza viruses and influenza virus that are antigenically divergent from the virus from which the nanoparticle hemagglutinin protein was obtained. Also provided are fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Gary J. NABEL, Masaru KANEKIYO, Chih-Jen WEI, Patrick M. MCTAMNEY, Hadi M. YASSINE, Jeffrey C. BOYINGTON
  • Patent number: 9441019
    Abstract: Novel vaccines are provided that elicit broadly neutralizing anti-influenza antibodies. Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display hemagglutinin trimers from influenza virus on their surface. The nanoparticles comprise fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit of ferritin joined to at least a portion of an influenza hemagglutinin protein. Some portions comprise the ectodomain while some portions are limited to the stem region. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the hemagglutinin-displaying nanoparticles. Some vaccines comprise only the stem region of an influenza hemagglutinin protein joined to a trimerization domain. Such vaccines can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by heterologous influenza viruses and influenza virus that are antigenically divergent from the virus from which the nanoparticle hemagglutinin protein was obtained. Also provided are fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Masaro Kanekiyo, Chih-Jen Wei, Patrick M. McTamney, Hadi M. Yassine, Jeffrey C. Boyington
  • Publication number: 20140302079
    Abstract: Novel vaccines are provided that elicit broadly neutralizing anti-influenza antibodies. Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display hemagglutinin trimers from influenza virus on their surface. The nanoparticles comprise fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit of ferritin joined to at least a portion of an influenza hemagglutinin protein. Some portions comprise the ectodomain while some portions are limited to the stem region. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the hemagglutinin-displaying nanoparticles. Some vaccines comprise only the stem region of an influenza hemagglutinin protein joined to a trimerization domain. Such vaccines can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by heterologous influenza viruses and influenza virus that are antigenically divergent from the virus from which the nanoparticle hemagglutinin protein was obtained. Also provided are fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Masaro Kanekiyo, Chih-Jen Wei, Patrick M. Mctamney, Hadi M. Yassine, Jeffrey C. Boyington
  • Publication number: 20140072958
    Abstract: Novel vaccines are provided that elicit broadly neutralizing anti-influenza antibodies. Some vaccines comprise nanoparticles that display hemagglutinin trimers from influenza virus on their surface. The nanoparticles comprise fusion proteins comprising a monomeric subunit of ferritin joined to at least a portion of an influenza hemagglutinin protein. Some portions comprise the ectodomain while some portions are limited to the stem region. The fusion proteins self-assemble to form the hemagglutinin-displaying nanoparticles. Some vaccines comprise only the stem region of an influenza hemagglutinin protein joined to a trimerization domain. Such vaccines can be used to vaccinate an individual against infection by heterologous influenza viruses and influenza virus that are antigenically divergent from the virus from which the nanoparticle hemagglutinin protein was obtained. Also provided are fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Gary J. NABEL, Masaru KANEKIYO, Chih-Jen WEI, Patrick M. MCTAMNEY, Hadi M. YASSINE, Jeffrey C. BOYINGTON
  • Publication number: 20120219584
    Abstract: Immunogens and compositions are provided that encode a protein comprising an influenza A subtype H1 hemagglutinin glycan-shielded receptor binding domain A (RBD A) region and at least one influenza A subtype H1 hemagglutinin antigenic site wherein the antigenic site is not within the RBD-A region. Also provided are immunogens and compositions that encode an immunogenic protein comprising at least one epitope of the RBD-A region of a pandemic influenza A subtype H1 hemagglutinin antigen. Also provided are such proteins, nucleic acids that encode such proteins, and antibodies against such proteins. Also provided are methods to use such immunogens and compositions to elicit a neutralizing antibody immune response against influenza A subtype H1 virus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA as represented by THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-Jen Wei, Zhi-Yong Yang, Jeffrey Boyington
  • Publication number: 20110177122
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination of a priming composition and a boosting composition to prime and boost an immune response in a subject whereby the immune response resulting from administration of the priming composition to the subject is capable of being boosted. The priming composition comprises a DNA plasmid that comprises a nucleic acid molecule encoding an influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) or an epitope-bearing domain thereof. The boosting composition comprises an influenza vaccine. The present invention also relates to a method to use such a combination to vaccinate a subject and to enhance an immune response to an influenza vaccine administered alone. Such a combination can elicit an immune response not only against at least one influenza virus strain from which the priming composition or boosting composition is derived but also to at least one heterologous influenza virus strain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, as represented by the Secretary, Dept. of Health & Human Services
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Chih-jen Wei, Zhi-Yong Yang
  • Publication number: 20110171260
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an influenza immunogen that includes one or more DNA constructs encoding at least two divergent influenza HAs, wherein each of such one or more DNA constructs encodes one or more of the at least two divergent influenza HAs. Such an immunogen, when administered to a subject, induces an immune response to a plurality of strains of influenza virus, wherein at least one strain of the plurality of strains does not encode any of the divergent influenza HAs encoded by the immunogen. The divergent influenza HAs can be swine influenza HAs or equine influenza HAs, such as influenza H1 HAs or influenza H3 HAs. The invention also relates to a method to use such an immunogen to induce such an immune response as well as to DNA constructs comprising such divergent influenza HAs. Such an immunogen can provide a heterologous as well as a homologous immune response. Such an immunogen can be used to induce an immune response against evolving influenza virus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SER.
    Inventors: SRINIVAS RAO, GARY J. NABEL, ZHI-YONG YANG, CHIH-JEN WEI, WING-PUI KONG
  • Publication number: 20100074916
    Abstract: H5 hemagglutinin (HA) polypeptides are provided that are adapted to humans through mutations that change receptor specificity in the H1 serotype, and related polynucleotides, methods, compositions, and vaccines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Dept. of Health and
    Inventors: Gary J. Nabel, Zhi-yong Yang, Chih-jen Wei, Wing-pui Kong, Lan Wu