Non-Abeta Based Amyloid Vaccines: Alternative Strategies to Promote Generic Anti-Amyloid Responses to Treat Alzheimer's Disease and Other Human Amyloidoses

Reference #:

2005-108

Inventors/Contributors

Todd E. Golde, M.D., Rudi Hrncic, M.D., Pritam Das, Ph.D.

Description

Amyloid deposition is a process whereby a protein abnormally folds into an insoluble form. Various human proteins form amyloid and cause disease. The most prevalent of these disease is the neurodegenerative disorder called Alzheimer's disease, where a protein called the amyloid beta protein deposits as amyloid. Recently there has been evidence that development of antibodies against Abeta amyloid may treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease. However, current strategies developed to incite an active immune response against beta amyloid all have the potential to result in severe autoimmune side effects. We have developed a novel strategy to induce a generic anti-amyloid response using amyloidogenic peptides as immunogens that possess no significant homology to any human protein or peptide or the amyloid beta peptide itself. Active immunization with such peptides will produce of a generic anti-amyloid response that is capable of altering amyloid deposition in Alzheimer's disease and other human amylodoisis.

Patent Status

Pending