Pseudomonas AERUGINOSA VACCINE

BACKGROUND:

Pseudomonas aeruginosais an opportunistic bacterial pathogen responsible for 10% of all nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections, a leading cause of nosocomial pneumonia in general patient populations, and the leading cause in intensive care patient populations. Since Pseudomonas is often resistant to antibiotics, an infection is life-threatening for compromised individuals such as burn victims, AIDS patients, and patients with cystic fibrosis. Respiratory failure, the leading cause of cystic fibrosis-associated death, results from chronic Pseudomonas infections that lead to lung damage as bacterial toxins attack lung epithelia. This damage then allows the infection to spread beyond the lungs. A secretion/intoxication system present on the bacterial surface transports toxins directly into epithelial cells, and a well-documented inhibition of this system through blockade of the bacterial toxin transport component PcrV provides demonstrable protection against lung injury and increased survival in animal models.

DESCRIPTION:

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have shown that the PcrV protein is a highly effective vaccination agent against Pseudomonas, whether administered before or after infection. An intraperitoneal Pseudomonas challenge of mice followed by intraperitoneal vaccination with PcrV leads to a 70% survival rate (compared to 30% survival for adjuvant alone). Likewise, an intraperitoneal vaccination of mice prior to a lethal, intratracheal challenge provides 80% survivability compared to 0% survival for the adjuvant control group. In both instances, the vaccine used was a combination of PcrV protein and a common, FDA approved adjuvant. Moreover, researchers have optimized the vaccine components, including characterization of antigenic regions and testing of multiple adjuvants, for effectiveness in the animal disease model. As a result, the anti- Pseudomonas PcrV vaccine approach provides infection protection that matches or exceeds other systems in development.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND APPLICATIONS FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY :

• Targets bacterial toxin secretion system responsible for lung damage



• Vaccine protein optimized and multiple adjuvants tested for protection



• 80% survival after lethal intratracheal P. aeruginosa challenge in mouse model

PATENTS:

US patent No. 6,309,651 “Method of and compositions for immunization with the pseudomonas V antigen”

If you would like to receive further information about this technology and potential licensing opportunities, please contact:

Anson Nomura, Ph.D.
Licensing Officer
(415) 353-4626 phone
(415) 348-1579 fax
Anson.Nomura@ucsf.edu

Reference: OTM Case #SF1999-038