Pharmaceutical compositions and methods to vaccinate against candidiasis

US9364539B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Los Angeles BioMedical Research Institute at Harbor UCLA Medical Center · US

Inventors

• John Edwards · Rancho Palos Verdes, US
• Scott G. Filler · Rancho Palos Verdes, US
• Donald Sheppard · Santa Monica, US
• Ashraf S. Ibrahim · Irvine, US
• Yue Fu · Carson, US
• Brad Spellberg · Rancho Palos Verdes, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 23, 2013
• Grant date: Jun 14, 2016
• Expiry date: Sep 23, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61K2039/53
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A Candida albicans bloodstream infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Filament formation and adherence to host cells are critical virulence factors of C. albicans. Multiple filamentation regulatory pathways have been discovered, however the downstream effectors of these regulatory pathways remain unknown. The cell surface proteins in the ALS group are downstream effectors of the filamentation regulatory pathway. Particularly, Als1p mediates adherence to endothelial cells in vitro and is required for virulence. The blocking of adherence by the organism is described resulting from the use of a composition and method disclosed herein. Specifically, a pharmaceutical composition comprised of a gene, gene product, or specific antibody to the ALS gene family is administered as a vaccine to generate an immune response capable of blocking adherence of the organism.