Attenuating Mutations for Tularemia Live Vaccine
Introduction Francisella tularensis is a bacterial pathogen that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia and that is often transmitted to humans through the bite of ticks or mosquitoes, inhalation of hay dust, ingestion of infected food or water or physical contact with infected animals. The severity of the disease depends on the route and dose of infection as well as the bacterial subtype. Francisella tularensis is considered a potential biological weapon and classified as a Category A biological agent by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, implicating a risk to national security if intentionally spread. There is no currently approved vaccine against this intracellular pathogen in the US or the EU. Early studies of the efficacy of whole killed cells as a crude tularemia vaccine demonstrated a low level of protection in humans. Because Francisella tularensis is an intracellular pathogen, a genetically defined live vaccine may be the best approach to vaccinating against tularemia, rather than a component vaccine. Technology description A live vaccine strain would contribute to protect populations against this disease. Dr Samuel Miller and his collaborators have identified candidate genes that could be inactivated to develop new genetically defined live vaccines against F. tularensis. Business Opportunity Release in a densely populated area would be expected to result in an abrupt onset of large numbers of acute, nonspecific febrile illness beginning three to five days later(incubation range 1–14 days), with pleuropneumonitis developing in a significant proportion of cases during the ensuing days and weeks. The World Health Organization estimated that 50 kg of Francisella tularensis spread into the air over a city of 5 million people would lead to 250,000 cases of illness and 19,000 of these sick people would die. Intellectual Property Position The University of Washington has applied for patent protection to secure the rights to this technology. Related Publication(s)
Infect Immun. 2006 Dec;74(12):6895-906.
Type of Offer: Licensing
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