Complexed Peptide and Adjuvant for Improved Vaccines

Reference #:

2003-089

Inventors/Contributors

Peter J. Wettstein, Ph.D., Michael A. Strausbauch, Heather A. Hardin, Nancy D. Borson, Ph.D.

Description

We have shown that peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules can be tailed with a "peptide tag" in order to covalently link the class I peptide with synthetic CpG oligonucleotides, which mimic bacterial DNA and are used as an adjuvant. The peptide tag consists of cystines and positively charged residues with intervening amino acids. The complexing of the tagged class I peptide and CpG oligonucleotides ensures that they are concomitantly taken up by the same antigen-presenting cell and increases the immunogenicity of the class I-binding peptide.

Patent Status

Pending