Patents by Inventor Rino Rappuoli

Rino Rappuoli 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).

  • RAPID RESPONSES TO DELAYED BOOSTER IMMUNISATIONS
    Publication number: 20110150931
    Abstract: Booster immunization can lead to rapid induction of protective immunity against pathogens (e.g. ?7 days after the booster dose). This rapid response means that booster immunization can be used at short notice prior to an event that might require an activated immune response. For instance, a subject can be primed at a young age against a pathogen that typically affects more elderly subjects under specific circumstances such that, when the subject is older, the immune response can be mobilized rapidly if those specific circumstances are expected. An example would be to prime a subject against infections that are typically acquired nosocomially and then, soon before a scheduled hospital appointment, to boost their immune response so that they enter hospital in an immune-alert state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Giuseppe Del Giudice, Rino Rappuoli
  • COMBINATION NEISSERIAL COMPOSITIONS
    Publication number: 20110104193
    Abstract: Compositions comprising a first biological molecule from a Neisseria bacterium and a second biological molecule from a Neisseria bacterium. The term “biological molecule” includes proteins and nucleic acids. Preferred Neisseria species are N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: NOVARTIS VACCINES AND DIAGNOSTICS SRL
    Inventors: Marzia Monica GIULIANI, Mariagrazia PIZZA, Rino RAPPUOLI
  • ADP-ribosylating bacterial toxins
    Patent number: 7928192
    Abstract: ADP-ribosylating toxins from Neisseria meningitidis, Streptomyces coelicolor, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella paratyphi, and Streptococcus pyogenes are disclosed, together with mutant toxins and uses therefor. There is only a low level of sequence identity between these toxins and toxins such as cholera toxin and E. coli heat labile toxin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Vega Masignani, Mariagrazia Pizza, Rino Rappuoli
  • Hybrid Polypeptides Including Meningococcal fHBP Sequences
    Publication number: 20110076300
    Abstract: fHBP is a protein in Neisseria meningitidis. Three families of fHBP are known. To increase the ability of a fHBP protein to elicit antibodies that are cross-reactive between the families, fHBP is selected or engineered to have a sequence which can elicit broad-spectrum bactericidal anti-meningococcal antibodies after administration to a host animal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Mariagrazia Pizza, Maria Scarselli, Marzia Monica Giuliani, Maria Arico, Rino Rappuoli
  • Polypeptides for oligomeric assembly of antigens
    Patent number: 7915218
    Abstract: A system for expressing antigenic polypeptides in oligomeric form fuses the antigenic polypeptide to an oligomerisation polypeptide such that the oligomerisation polypeptide can interact with other oligomerisation polypeptides and bring multiple copies of the antigenic polypeptide into close proximity in the form of an oligomer. Expressing the polypeptides in oligomeric form in this way can improve their immunogenicity compared to a monomeric form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Barbara Capecchi, Vega Masignani, Rino Rappuoli, Maria Scarselli
  • Adjuvant Comprising Aluminum, Oligonucleotide and Polycation
    Publication number: 20110052716
    Abstract: An immunological adjuvant comprises an aluminium salt, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide and a polycationic polymer, wherein the oligonucleotide and the polymer ideally associate with each other to form a complex. The adjuvant can be included in a composition with an immunogen e.g. to elicit an immune response that protects against a bacterial disease or a fungal disease.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Michele Pallaoro, Derek O'Hagan, Rino Rappuoli
  • MENINGOCOCCAL FHBP POLYPEPTIDES
    Publication number: 20110020390
    Abstract: fHBP is a protein in Neisseria meningitidis. Three families of fHBP are known. To increase the ability of a fHBP protein to elicit antibodies that are cross-reactive between the families, fHBP is selected or engineered to have a sequence which can elicit broad-spectrum bactericidal anti-meningococcal antibodies after administration to a host animal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Mariagrazia Pizza, Maria Scarselli, Marzia Monica Giuliani, Maria Arico, Rino Rappuoli
  • Immunogenic detoxified mutants of cholera toxin
    Patent number: 7872114
    Abstract: An immunogenic detoxified protein comprising the amino acid sequence of subunit A of a cholera toxin (CT-A) or a fragment thereof or the amino acid sequence of subunit A of an Escherichia coli heat labile toxin (LT-A) or a fragment thereof wherein the amino acids at, or in positions corresponding to Ser-63 and Arg-192 are replaced with another amino acid. The immunogenic detoxified protein is useful as vaccine for Vibrio cholerae or an enterotoxigenic strain of Escherichia coli and is produced by recombinant DNA means by site-directed mutagenesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics SRL
    Inventors: Mariagrazia Pizza, Maria Rita Fontana, Valentina Giannelli, Rino Rappuoli
  • Methods and Compositions Relating to Adhesins as Adjuvants
    Publication number: 20110008279
    Abstract: This invention is in the field of immunology and relates to the discovery that adhesins are potent activators of dendritic cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Vega Masignani, Maria Scarselli, Rino Rappuoli, Mariagrazia Pizza, Marzia Monica Giuliani
  • Polypeptide carrier protein
    Patent number: 7867498
    Abstract: The invention relates to polypeptide carrier proteins that comprise at least five CD4+ T cell epitopes, for conjugation to capsular polysaccharides. The carrier proteins are useful as components of vaccines that can elicit a T-cell dependent immune response. These vaccines are particularly useful to confer protection against infection from encapsulated bacteria in infants between the ages of 3 months and about 2 years.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Rino Rappuoli, Guido Grandi
  • Combination neisserial compositions
    Patent number: 7862827
    Abstract: Compositions comprising a first biological molecule from a Neisseria bacterium and a second biological molecule from a Neisseria bacterium. The term “biological molecule” includes proteins and nucleic acids. Preferred Neisseria species are N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics SRL
    Inventors: Marzia Monica Giuliani, Mariagrazia Pizza, Rino Rappuoli
  • COMBINED MUCOSAL AND PARENTERAL IMMUNIZATION AGAINST HIV
    Publication number: 20100285062
    Abstract: HIV antigens are mucosally administered in one or more priming immunization(s), and then HIV antigens are parenterally administered in one or more boosting immunization(s). Thus the invention provides a method for raising an immune response in a patient, comprising: (i) administering a HIV antigen to the patient via a mucosal route; and then (ii) administering a HIV antigen to the patient via a parenteral route. The antigens will typically be adjuvanted. Preferred mucosal immunizations are via the intranasal route using a detoxified mutant of E. coli heat labile toxin as the adjuvant. Preferred parenteral immunizations are via the intramuscular route using an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: NOVARTIS AG
    Inventors: Rino Rappuoli, David L.M. Lewis, Susan Barnett
  • Neisserial antigens
    Publication number: 20100272725
    Abstract: The invention provides proteins from Neisseria meningitidis (strains A & B) and from Neisseria gonorrhoeae, including amino acid sequences, the corresponding nucleotide sequences, expression data, and serological data. The proteins are useful antigens for vaccines, immunogenic compositions, and/or diagnostics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Srl.
    Inventors: Vincenzo Scarlato, Vega Masignani, Rino Rappuoli, Mariagrazia Pizza, Guido Grandi
  • Meningococcal vaccines including hemoglobin receptor
    Publication number: 20100189737
    Abstract: The meningococcal haemoglobin receptor, HmbR, is used as a vaccine antigen in combination with one or more further antigens e.g. in combination with a meningococcal outer membrane vesicle, with another purified meningococcal antigen (e.g. fHBP, 287, NadA, NspA, NhhA, App, Omp85, LOS), with a conjugated meningococcal capsular saccharide, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Beatrice Aricò, Maria Scarselli, Rino Rappuoli
  • Fusion Proteins Comprising CD4 Minimal Modules and Methods of Use Thereof
    Publication number: 20100183653
    Abstract: Fusion proteins comprising CD4 minimal modules that bind to HIV Env polypeptides in a non-CD4 backbone are described. Also described are complexes of these fusion proteins with Env as well as methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention using the polynucleotides and polypeptides are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: CHIRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vega Masignani, Maria Scarselli, Barbara Capecchi, Victoria Sharma, Susan W. Barnett, Indresh K. Srivastava, Rino Rappuoli
  • BLOCKING INTERACTION BETWEEN PATHOGEN FACTORS AND FACTOR H TO INHIBIT HEMORRHAGIC SYNDROMES
    Publication number: 20100150912
    Abstract: If pathogen factors such as meningococcal NMB 1870 or flaviviral NS1 are able to sequester factor H in the blood then its inhibitory effect on complement may be disturbed, thereby permitting C3 to initiate a dramatic attack on host endothelial tissue. In combination with a strong inflammatory response, this attack can result in sever damage to the endothelium, with resulting hemorrhagic syndrome. Blocking the interaction between pathogen factors and factor H may thus be used to treat and/or prevent these pathogen-induced hemorrhagic syndromes. The interaction may, for instance, be blocked by antibodies, either delivered endogenously (passive immunisation) or produced by a patient's immune system (active immunisation).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: NOVARTIS AG
    Inventor: Rino Rappuoli
  • Meningococcal antigens
    Patent number: 7714121
    Abstract: The invention provides proteins from Neisseria meningitidis (strains A & B), including amino acid sequences, the corresponding nucleotide sequences, expression data, and serological data. The proteins are useful antigens for vaccines, immunogenic compositions, and/or diagnostics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics SRL
    Inventors: Vincenzo Scarlato, Vega Masignani, Rino Rappuoli, Mariagrazia Pizza, Guido Grandi
  • 85kDa neisserial antigen
    Patent number: 7700119
    Abstract: An 85 kDa antigen from Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been cloned, sequenced and expressed. The antigen is common to diverse strains, serogroups and serotypes of N. meningitidis, and also to N. gonorrhoeae, N. polysaccharia and N. lactamica. The protein sequences of N. meningitidis (serogroups A and B) and N. gonorrhoeae are highly homologous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics SRL
    Inventors: Marzia Monica Giuliani, Mariagrazia Pizza, Rino Rappuoli, Johan Holst
  • CAI antigen
    Patent number: 7700755
    Abstract: This invention provides polynucleotides encoding Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin associated immunodominant antigen. The polynucleotides can be used as probes to identify the presence of complementary target nucleotide sequences. The invention also provides kits and vectors containing the polynucleotides of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics S. R. L.
    Inventors: Antonello Covacci, Massimo Bugnoli, John Telford, Giovanni Macchia, Rino Rappuoli
  • Coxsackie B virus and type 1 diabetes
    Publication number: 20100047273
    Abstract: Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by loss of pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells, resulting in insulin deficiency. The usual cause of this beta cell loss is autoimmune destruction. Coxsackie virus has been detected in human pancreatic beta cells and causes insulitis. This non-destructive islet inflammation does not itself cause diabetes, but this disease will occur if viral infection is followed by a separate autoimmune response. The insulitis is mediated mainly by natural killer cells. Islets from coxsackie virus positive samples displayed reduced insulin secretion in response to glucose and other secretagogues. Virus extracted from positive islets was able to infect beta cells from human islets of non-diabetic donors, causing viral inclusions and signs of pyknosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Rino Rappuoli, Francesco Dotta, Piero Marchetti