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171 Results for Collaborations

Collaborations

Screening of African Natural Product Extracts for Antischistosomal Activity

Schistosomiasis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, mostly in the world’s poorest countries. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only medication currently used in mass drug administration programs, raising the risk of drug resistance. There is a critical need to develop new therapeutics that target essential pathways that are not affected by PZQ. Prof. Fabrice Boyom at the University of Yaoundé I is interested in leveraging the therapeutic properties of local plants and other natural products to treat parasitic diseases. With support from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Dr. Jennifer Keiser at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute will screen selected natural product extracts collected by Prof. Boyom for antischistosomal activity.

Screening of Open Global Health Library for Dengue Drug Discovery

Severe dengue, known as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome, is a leading cause of hospitalization and death in Asia and Latin America. There is no specific treatment for the disease. Dr. Tedjo Sasmono at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology will screen the Open Global Health Library of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to identify compounds that target pathways that are disrupted in severe dengue.

Screening of Open Global Health Library for Snakebite Drug Discovery

The only effective treatments for snakebite envenoming are antivenoms, medications made from antibodies against the components of venom. However, antivenoms are expensive to manufacture, and different antivenoms are required to treat the bites of different snake species. Prof. Nicholas Casewell at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine aims to develop less costly, small-molecule therapies that inhibit toxins in venom. He will screen the Open Global Health Library of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to identify compounds that block the activity of such toxic enzymes.

171 Results for Assets

Assets

A Multicomponent Vaccine For Malaria Providing Long-lasting Immune Responses Against Plasmodia (2)
This application relates to immunogenic conjugates which elicit an immune response to Plasmodium proteins. This application claims conjugates that include at least one Plasmodium sexual stage surface protein covalently linked to at least one Plasmodium circumsporozoite protein (CSP) or an immunogenic portion of a CSP. Also claimed are conjugates that include at least one sexual stage surface protein covalently linked to at least one immunogenic repeat derived from a Plasmodium CSP. The inventors' data shows that these conjugates also induced long-lasting antibody responses to each of their components, i.e. the vaccine candidates showed both transmission blocking activity and antibodies to the CSP (or portion thereof). The inventors have previously shown that P. falciparum conjugates of the ookinete surface protein Pfs25 are immunogenic and induce long-lasting IgG antibody responses in mice. The inventors have also previously shown that adsorption of the conjugates onto aluminum hydroxide further increased the antibody response. Remarkably, the antibody levels three or seven months after the last injection were significantly higher than those one week after that injection. Such a vaccine would block disease transmission if most/all the population is immunized. Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of malaria; one to three percent of the parasites are highly virulent, causing the death of approximately two million people annually, ninety percent of whom are young children. Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread cause of malaria. There is as yet no licensed prophylactic vaccine for this disease. Furthermore, malarial parasites are increasingly becoming resistant to antimalarial drugs that have been used to treat the disease for decades.
Anti-Arthropod Vector Vaccines, Methods of Selecting, and Uses Thereof (2)
Anti-Arthropod Vector Vaccines, Methods of Selecting, and Uses Thereof; NIH Internal Reference E-122-2001/0 More information is available here: http://www.ott.nih.gov/Technologies/abstractDetails.aspx?RefNo=566 Leishmania parasites are transmitted to their vertebrate hosts by infected phlebotomine sand fly bites. Sand fly saliva is known to enhance Leishmania infection, while immunity to the saliva protects against infection. This invention claims nine major salivary proteins from the sand fly vector of Leishmania major, Phlebotomus papatasi, nucleic acids encoding the proteins, vaccines comprising the proteins and/or nucleic acids, and methods of producing an immune response to prevent Leshmaniasis. The inventors have shown that one of these salivary proteins was able to protect vaccinated mice challenged with parasites plus salivary gland homogenates SGH . A DNA vaccine containing the cDNA for the same protein provided this same protection. Protection lasted at least 3 months after immunization. The vaccine produced both intense humoral and delayed-type hypersensitivity DTH reactions. B cell-deficient mice immunized with the plasmid vaccine successfully controlled Leishmania infection when injected with Leishmania plus SGH.
Lateral Flow Assay Device for Rapid Diagnostic of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (LAFALE [lateral flow assay for leishmaniasis] platform)
LAFALE is based on an immune-chromatographic assay where antibodies bind to synthetic peptides opH2A and opLiP2a immobilized on a membrane strip. As the serum flows through the membrane, the antibodies against antigens of Leishmania interact with the peptides and due to gold nanoparticle conjugate a positive interaction yields a red color in the test line. LAFALE platform will offer a rapid detection of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) within 30 minutes, a suitable time for Point of Care (POC) diagnosis. Worldwide CL distribution offers the possibility of an international market. Patents: Germany, Colombia, Spain, United States, France, Malaysia, European Patent Office (EPO), Peru, United Kingdom. Patents in process in Brazil and India.