Researchers at the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have designed influenza vaccine candidates based on group 2 influenza hemagglutinin (HA) proteins. These group 2 HA proteins were engineered to remove the highly variable head region and stabilize the remaining stem region. The researchers then fused the engineered group 2 HA stabilized stem with a ferritin subunit. The resulting fusion protein can self-assemble into nanoparticles which display group 2 HA stem domain trimers on their surface.
These immunogens elicit cross-reactive antibodies to group 2 influenza viruses and could be used in combination with group 1 HA stem-ferritin immunogens as a universal influenza vaccine. Interestingly, a recent study by Andrews et al., Sci. Immunol. 2 , eaan2676 (2017), suggests that cross-reactive group 1/group 2 HA stem antibodies may be more likely to be elicited in humans by a group 2 HA immunogen.
This technology is available for licensing for commercial development in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 209 and 37 CFR Part 404, as well as for further development and evaluation under a research collaboration.
Potential Commercial Applications:
• Use as a broadly protective influenza vaccine
Competitive Advantages:
• Elicits antibodies to both group 1 and group 2 influenza A viruses
• Nucleic acid or recombinant protein-based vaccine
• Increased ease of production compared to current seasonal influenza vaccines
Development Stage:
• In vivo (animal studies)
Inventors: Jeffrey C. Boyington, Barney S. Graham, John R. Mascola, Hadi M. Yassine, Syed M. Moin, Lingshu Wang, Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Masaru Kanekiyo (all from NIAID).
Intellectual Property: U.S. Provisional 62/383,267 filed 2 September 2016 and PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2017/049894 filed 1 September 2017 (pending).
Licensing Contact: Dr. Amy Petrik, 240-627-3721; amy.petrik@nih.gov