Stable, Early-stage Biomarker for Diagnosis of Bacillus anthracis Infection and Anthrax Vaccine Development

This invention comprises monoclonal antibodies, proteins, and related nucleic acid coding sequences that identify all or part of the antigenic anthrose oligosaccharide of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax toxicity in humans. It is imperative to identify virulent B. anthracis with speed and specificity, however there presently is substantial difficulty in early-stage recognition and diagnosis of anthrax inhalation. Improved diagnostic assays that can reliably identify anthrax exposure in its earliest stages and distinguish anthrax from other flu-like illnesses are sorely needed.

CDC and collaborative researchers have developed this technology and confirmed the value of a anthrose biomarker assay as a potentially valuable tool in informing early-stage response decisions following potentially anthrax exposure with in vivo primate data. This invention may be used for development of point-of-care anthrax exposure tests, as well as therapeutics and vaccines directed against B. anthracis.