Abstract: The present application relates to a sub-region of a Plasmodium protein, with improved vaccine potential, and to medical uses thereof, notably for treatment or diagnosis of malaria. The present invention notably provides unstructured or unfolded polypeptides deriving from the PFF0165c protein of P. falciparum 3D7. The polypeptides of the invention have a high antigenicity, a high immunogenicity, have a high parasite-killing activity in the ADCI assay, and are strongly associated with clinical protection against malaria, and. The present invention thereby provides a vaccine for the palliative and/or curative treatment of malaria, which is specifically intended for infants, toddlers, children under the age of 5, pregnant women.

Abstract: The present application relates to a sub-region of a Plasmodium protein, with improved vaccine potential, and to medical uses thereof, notably for treatment or diagnosis of malaria. The present invention notably provides unstructured or unfolded polypeptides deriving from the PFF0165c protein of P. falciparum 3D7. The polypeptides of the invention have a high anti-genicity, a high immunogenicity, have a high parasite-killing activity in the ADCI assay, and are strongly associated with clinical protection against malaria, and. The present invention thereby provides a vaccine for the palliative and/or curative treatment of malaria, which is specifically intended for infants, toddlers, children under the age of 5, pregnant women.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant or synthetic polypeptide characterised in that it includes at least three consecutive repetitions of nonapeptide A N G A G X1 Q X2 X3, in which X1 is selected from D and N, X2 is selected from P and A and X2 is selected from G and A. The inventive polypeptide also preferably includes at least two (2) consecutive repetitions of sequence GDRADGQPA and in an even more preferable embodiment the polypeptide includes an amino-terminal region, a C-terminal region and/or the ptt30 fragment. The invention also relates to malaria vaccines characterised in that they include said peptides.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of P. falciparum antigens and their use, for example, for the preparation of a vaccine against said pathogen. More specifically, the present invention relates to an antigenic peptide derived from the constant part of MSA2, and includes antibodies and methods of producing and using same.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of pathogen peptidic antigens and their use, for example, for the preparation of a vaccine against said pathogen. More specifically, the present invention relates to an antigenic peptide deriving from Plasmodium species sequences, and includes antibodies and methods of producing and using same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vaccine against malaria comprising a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of the C-terminal part of the circumsporozoite protein of a Plasmodium species, in which polypeptide one or more pairs of cysteine residues are oxidized, and optionally a suitable carrier and/or adjuvant and/or biodegradable microcapsules for use in humans.

Abstract: An immunological response potentiation process is disclosed for synthetic or genetically engineered antigens having low immunogenicity. The antigen is embedded into biodegradable microparticles, and the antigen-loaded microparticles are dispersed in a biodegradable medium. When parenterally administered, the antigen-loaded microparticles trigger a potentiated antibody, TH-lymphocyte and Tc-lymphocyte response, as compared to an aqueous antigen solution. The extent of immunological potentiation is at least comparable with that attained by Incomplete Freund's adjuvant compositions. Linear B-TH-cell epitopes, linear Tc-cell epitopes, dimers and multimers of those epitopes, and mixtures thereof, are used as low immunogenicity antigens. The microparticles are based on biodegradable biopolymers such as polyester, polyanhydride, and polyorthoester.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vaccine against malaria comprising a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of the C-terminal part of the circumsporozoite protein of a Plasmodium species, in which polypeptide one or more pairs of cysteine residues are oxidized, and optionally a suitable carrier and/or adjuvant and/or biodegradable microcapsules for use in humans.

Abstract: A method is provided for folding chemically synthesized polypeptides having two or more derivatized cysteine residues by contacting with a reducing agent in a folding buffer having a predetermined pH and temperature.

Abstract: An immunological response potentiation process is disclosed for synthetic or genetically engineered antigens having low immunogenicity. The antigen is embedded into biodegradable microparticles, these antigen-loaded microparticles are dispersed in a biodegradable medium which triggers when it is parenterally administered a potentiated antibody, TH-lymphocyte and TC-lymphocyte response, as compared to an aqueous antigen solution. The extent of immunological potentiation is at least comparable with that attained by IFA compositions. Linear B-TH-cell epitopes, linear TC-cell epitopes, dimers and multimers of said epitopes, as well as their mixtures, are used as low immunogenicity antigens. The microparticles are based on biodegradable biopolymers such as polyester, polyanhydride, polyorthoester. By mixing microparticles with different wettabilities, swellabilities, release and biodegradation times, the most intense and longest immunological potentiation is achieved.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method for the modification of (poly)peptides for facilitating purification thereof, which modification method comprises the insertion of at least one specifically cleavable amino acid at the end of the (poly)peptide chain during synthesis thereof and protecting the same amino acid(s) within the (poly)peptide, if present, against cleavage, in order to allow for specific cleavage precisely at the specifically cleavable amino acid(s). The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of purified (poly)peptides using the modification method.

Abstract: The synthetic peptide TT3, the amino acid sequence of which corresponds to the region 947-967 of the tetanus toxin is recognized by different human Th cell clones in association with a wide range of alleles of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Said peptide contains at least two epitopes, of which one (953-967) is recognized by the DR5-restricted clones and the other (947-960) is recognized by all other DR and DP alleles restricted clones. The TT3 peptide and the peptide corresponding to the 947-960 epitope can be used as universal carriers in the preparation of immunogenic conjugates consisting of at least one of said peptides and a natural or synthetic hapten derived from a pathogenic agent of interest.The immunogenic conjugates are particularly suitable for preparing synthetic vaccines able to provide a protective immunity against different pathogenic agents which is not genetically restricted or is only slightly genetically restricted.