Dampening of an immunodominant epitope of an antigen for use in plant, animal and human vaccines and immunotherapies

US5853724A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services · US

Inventors

• Robert R. Garrity · Middletown, US
• Peter L. Nara · Frederick, US
• Jaap Goudsmit · Amsterdam, NL

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 1996
• Grant date: Dec 29, 1998
• Expiry date: Dec 13, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N2740/16122
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides a vaccine that can be administered to a mammal to cause immunoprotection in the mammal against a pathogenic organism that has an immunodominant epitope. The vaccine includes a modified form of the antigen in which the immunodominant epitope is located. In this modified form, the immunodominant epitope is immunodampened by any of a number of techniques. Examples of immunodampening techniques include addition of N-linked glycosylation sites, change of the net charge on the epitope, and substitution with a tolerated sequence. The vaccine also includes a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.