Anti-Infective Technology

About

About Opportunity: Our approach is to target the host rather than the pathogen, by masking cell surface receptors used by pathogenic viruses and bacteria to prevent their attachment, eliminating the first stage of the infection process. We have developed a panel of multivalent proteins based on the sialic acid-binding module (CBM40) of bacterial sialidases that have varying binding affinities from micromolar to nanomolar (see http://www.jbc.org/content/284/11/7339) These proteins recognise terminal sialic acids, independent of linkage (a(2,3), a (2,6) and a(2,8) and hence bind to receptors in the respiratory tract that are recognised by a number of pathogens.  These protein-based biologics have the potential of overcoming drug resistance problems, as seen with rapidly evoloving viruses such as the influenza virus.  Multivalent CBM40s have shown protection against influenza A and B strains, human para-influenza viruses and bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae.  Since these proteins promiscuously bind to sialic acids, they have the potential to deliver other molecules to the cell surface, either through covalent attachment to CBM40 or by genetic fusion.   Key Benefits: Prevent infection against currently circulating strains of influenza A and B and potentially all future strains of influenza, as the virus is very unlikely to switch its receptor. The multivalent proteins can also prevent infection by other respiratory pathogens that utilize sialic acid as a receptor Overcomes pathogen resistance from fast-mutating viruses Are high affinity glycan binding proteins that can block pathogen attachment in a number of disease states Are easily produced and purified yielding milligrams of protein per litre of bacterial culture Are amenable to further chemical or genetic modification Are amenable to intranasal, inhaler and intravenous delivery Bind sialic acids and have the potential as a delivery system of drugs or other proteins to cell surfaces Can be used as a sensitive diagnostic for cell surface glycans aswell as the early detection of glycan disease states from biological samples   Applications: As a prophylactic therapy against circulating and future strains of influenza A and B viruses (including avian H5N1 and 'swine' H1N1) As a prophylactic therapy against human parainfluenza viruses a potential therapy against other pathogens that use sialic acid receptors e.g. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Trypanosoma cruzi Although most research has been carried out on multivalent CBM40s, this is a platform technology protected by patent that could be used for the creation of multivalent proteins targeted to a variety of carbohydrates thereby expanding the therapeutic potential of this technology   IP Status: The technology, published as WO2010029312, is covered by patent applications progressing in the China, Europe, India, Japan and US.