Stealth and Targeted Envelope for Vector Delivery

Reference #:

2005-104

Inventors/Contributors

Roberto Cattaneo, Ph.D., Christopher Springfeld, M.D., Dr. P.H., Veronika von Messling, D.V.M.

Description

Several human viruses are being developed as novel agents for the treatment of human cancer even if neutralizing antibodies may reduce their efficacy in currently open clinical trials. To circumvent neutralizing antibodies prevalent in the general population through vaccination or natural disease we envisage enclosing the replicative units of human viruses in the envelope of an animal virus that does not have cross-reacting relatives in humans, the Tupaia paramyxovirus (TPMV). We have characterized the two envelope proteins of this virus that are responsible for receptor attachment and cell fusion. We have determined that attachment specificity restricts TPMV tropism, and have shown that this specificity can be redirected to a designated human receptor, the tumor marker human carcinoembryonic antigen. To achieve targeting we have displayed a single chain antibody on the TPMV attachment protein ectodomain. Targeting competence and absence of antibodies in humans define the TPMV envelope as module to be adapted for ferrying ribonucleocapsids of oncolytic viruses and gene therapy vectors.

Patent Status

None