Main Menu

Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is a type of bacteria that causes pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal infections can range from ear and sinus infections to pneumonia and bloodstream infections. Children younger than 2 years old and adults 65 years or older are among those most at risk for disease.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumonia) can cause several different types of infection including chest colds and pneumonia. M. pneumoniae is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia. People of all ages are at risk for getting M. pneumonia infection, but it is most common among young adults and school-aged children. Current methods of detecting this agent are laborious and time consuming, so testing is not usually performed. However, knowing whether someone has M. pneumoniae infection is important for choosing the right antibiotic for treatment.

Human parainfluenza virus (hPIV) is an RNA-based paramyxovirus that causes respiratory infections in children and adults. There are four serotypes that can result in a myriad of diseases of the respiratory tract including croup, bronchitis, and pneumonia (Mao et al., 2012). hPIV is a leading cause of respiratory tract infection and hospitalization among children under 5, only surpassed by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Currently, there are limited treatment options and no approved vaccines.

The VRC01-class of potent, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targets the conserved CD4-binding site (CD4bs) of HIV-1 Env which has been a major target of HIV-vaccine design. The current best priming immunogen to engage the VRC01-class germline precursors is the eOD-GT8 60mer, which elicits VRC01-class precursors in multiple transgenic mouse models. However, a large proportion of the antibodies elicited by eOD-GT8 60mer are non-CD4bs or “off-target” antibodies, undermining its effectiveness in eliciting the VRC01-class bnAb precursors.

Ebola virus (EBOV) hemorrhagic fever is one of the most lethal viral infections and lacks a licensed vaccine. EBOV is transmitted by contact with body fluids from infected individuals including droplets or aerosols. Aerosolized EBOV could also be exploited for intentional virus spread. Therefore, vaccines that protect against mucosal and systemic exposure are needed.

The inventors have created a reverse genetics system for RSV strain B1 of antigenic subgroup B encoding a replication-competent recombinant RSV that contains a codon-optimized G ORF and expresses enhanced green fluorescence protein (GFP). There are two antigenic subgroups of RSV, subgroups A and B, and most of the available information and reagents are for subgroup A. Immunity against either subgroup has reduced effectiveness in restricting the heterologous subgroup, suggesting that an effective RSV vaccine might need to contain both subgroups.

In pursuit of an effective vaccine to end the global HIV-1/AIDS pandemic, researchers at the Vaccine Research Center (“VRC”) continue to study the structure of HIV-1. Recently, these researchers have determined the three-dimensional structure of the HIV-1 Envelope trimeric ectodomain (“Env”), comprised of three gp120 and three gp41 subunits, in its prefusion, mature, closed conformation.

This technology provides a new set of hybridoma cell lines each expressing a single monoclonal antibody against human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) nonstructural protein 1 (NS1). These antibodies have variously been shown to detect NS1 protein in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot assay, immunofluorescence microscopy of paraformaldehyde-fixed cells, and flow cytometry. The various antibodies can vary in their efficiency in each of these assays.

RSV is the most important viral agent of severe respiratory tract disease worldwide, especially in infants and young children, and it also causes severe disease in the elderly and in immunocompromised individuals. There are no licensed vaccines or antivirals suitable for routine use.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a highly lethal pulmonary infection with ~35% mortality. Currently there are no prophylactic measures or effective therapies. Inventors at the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have identified and developed neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nMAbs) against the MERS-CoV. This invention describes antibodies that target the Spike (S) glycoprotein on the coronavirus surface, which mediates viral entry into host cells.