US20100040635A1 - Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses - Google Patents

Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20100040635A1
US20100040635A1 US12/413,308 US41330809A US2010040635A1 US 20100040635 A1 US20100040635 A1 US 20100040635A1 US 41330809 A US41330809 A US 41330809A US 2010040635 A1 US2010040635 A1 US 2010040635A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
molecule
antibody
virus
seq
sequence
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/413,308
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Lawrence Horowitz
Ramesh Bhatt
Arun Kashyap
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
I2 Pharmaceuticals Inc
Original Assignee
Sea Lane Biotechnologies LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sea Lane Biotechnologies LLC filed Critical Sea Lane Biotechnologies LLC
Priority to US12/413,308 priority Critical patent/US20100040635A1/en
Assigned to SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC. reassignment SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: HOROWITZ, LAWRENCE, KASHYAP, ARUN K., BHATT, RAMESH
Publication of US20100040635A1 publication Critical patent/US20100040635A1/en
Priority to US13/185,386 priority patent/US9169318B2/en
Priority to US15/177,232 priority patent/US20170136118A1/en
Assigned to SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC. reassignment SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC. CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 022972 FRAME 0137. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Assignors: HOROWITZ, LAWRENCE, KASHYAP, ARUN K., BHATT, RAMESH
Assigned to ALTUS BIOPHARMA INC. reassignment ALTUS BIOPHARMA INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC.
Assigned to I2 PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. reassignment I2 PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ALTUS BIOPHARMA INC.
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K39/12—Viral antigens
    • A61K39/145—Orthomyxoviridae, e.g. influenza virus
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K39/395—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum
    • A61K39/42—Antibodies; Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum viral
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
    • A61P31/12—Antivirals
    • A61P31/14—Antivirals for RNA viruses
    • A61P31/16—Antivirals for RNA viruses for influenza or rhinoviruses
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P37/00—Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders
    • A61P37/02—Immunomodulators
    • A61P37/04—Immunostimulants
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K16/00—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
    • C07K16/08—Immunoglobulins [IG], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from viruses
    • C07K16/10—RNA viruses
    • C07K16/108—Orthomyxoviridae (F), e.g. influenza virus
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N7/00—Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/505—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies comprising antibodies
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • A61K2039/545—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the dose, timing or administration schedule
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/20—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by taxonomic origin
    • C07K2317/21—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by taxonomic origin from primates, e.g. man
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/50—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments
    • C07K2317/55—Fab or Fab'
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/50—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments
    • C07K2317/56—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments variable (Fv) region, i.e. VH and/or VL
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/50—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments
    • C07K2317/56—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments variable (Fv) region, i.e. VH and/or VL
    • C07K2317/565—Complementarity determining region [CDR]
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/50—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments
    • C07K2317/56—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by immunoglobulin fragments variable (Fv) region, i.e. VH and/or VL
    • C07K2317/567—Framework region [FR]
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/60—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by non-natural combinations of immunoglobulin fragments
    • C07K2317/62—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by non-natural combinations of immunoglobulin fragments comprising only variable region components
    • C07K2317/622—Single chain antibody (scFv)
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/70—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by effect upon binding to a cell or to an antigen
    • C07K2317/76—Antagonist effect on antigen, e.g. neutralization or inhibition of binding
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K2317/00—Immunoglobulins specific features
    • C07K2317/90—Immunoglobulins specific features characterized by (pharmaco)kinetic aspects or by stability of the immunoglobulin
    • C07K2317/92—Affinity (KD), association rate (Ka), dissociation rate (Kd) or EC50 value
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N2760/00—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA ssRNA viruses negative-sense
    • C12N2760/00011—Details
    • C12N2760/16011—Orthomyxoviridae
    • C12N2760/16111—Influenzavirus A, i.e. influenza A virus
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N2760/00—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA ssRNA viruses negative-sense
    • C12N2760/00011—Details
    • C12N2760/16011—Orthomyxoviridae
    • C12N2760/16111—Influenzavirus A, i.e. influenza A virus
    • C12N2760/16134—Use of virus or viral component as vaccine, e.g. live-attenuated or inactivated virus, VLP, viral protein

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns methods and means for identifying, producing, and engineering neutralizing molecules against viral antigens, including influenza A viruses, and to the neutralizing molecules produced.
  • the invention further concerns various uses of the molecules produced, including the design and production of vaccines utilizing the binding sites of the neutralizing molecules of the present invention on the target viral antigen, such as influenza A virus.
  • Viruses are infectious pathogens that can cause serious diseases including major threats for global public health, such as the influenza, AIDS, and hepatitis. A number of cancers have also been linked to viruses in conjunction with environmental factors.
  • a typical virus is a sub-micrometer particle that has DNA or RNA packaged in a shell known as the capsid. Viral antigens protrude from the capsid and often fulfill important function in docking to the host cell, fusion, and injection of viral DNA/RNA.
  • Antibody-based immune responses form a first layer of protection of the host from viral infection, however, in many cases a vigorous cellular immune response mediated by T-cells and NK-cells is required for effective viral clearance.
  • influenza One viral disease, the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It causes mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Annually, in the United States, influenza is contracted by 5-20% of the population, hospitalizing about 200,000, and causing the deaths of about 36,000.
  • Influenza viruses spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing, which are usually transmitted from person to person. Immunity to influenza surface antigens, particularly hemagglutinin, reduces the likelihood of infection and severity of disease if infection occurs. Although influenza vaccines are available, because a vaccine against one influenza virus type or subtype confers limited or no protection against another type or subtype of influenza, it is necessary to incorporate one or more new strains in each year's influenza vaccine.
  • Influenza viruses are segmented negative-strand RNA viruses and belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family.
  • Influenza A virus consists of 9 structural proteins and codes additionally for one nonstructural NS1 protein with regulatory functions.
  • the non-structural NS1 protein is synthesized in large quantities during the reproduction cycle and is localized in the cytosol and nucleus of the infected cells.
  • the segmented nature of the viral genome allows the mechanism of genetic reassortment (exchange of genome segments) to take place during mixed infection of a cell with different viral strains.
  • the influenza A virus may be further classified into various subtypes depending on the different hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) viral proteins displayed on their surface.
  • HA hemagglutinin
  • NA neuraminidase
  • Influenza A virus subtypes are identified by two viral surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA or H) and neuraminidase (NA or N). Each influenza virus subtype is identified by its combination of H and N proteins. There are 16 known HA subtypes and 9 known NA subtypes. Influenza type A viruses can infect people, birds, pigs, horses, and other animals, but wild birds are the natural hosts for these viruses. Only some influenza A subtypes (i.e., H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2) are currently in circulation among people, but all combinations of the 16H and 9 NA subtypes have been identified in avian species, especially in wild waterfowl and shorebirds. In addition, there is increasing evidence that H5 and H7 influenza viruses can also cause human illness.
  • HA hemagglutinin
  • NA or N neuraminidase
  • the HA of influenza A virus comprises two structurally distinct regions, namely, a globular head region and a stem region.
  • the globular head region contains a receptor binding site which is responsible for virus attachment to a target cell and participates in the hemagglutination activity of HA.
  • the stem region contains a fusion peptide which is necessary for membrane fusion between the viral envelope and an endosomal membrane of the cell and thus relates to fusion activity (Wiley et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem., 56:365-394 (1987)).
  • a pandemic is a global disease outbreak.
  • An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus: (1) emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, (2) begins to cause serious illness, and then (3) spreads easily person-to-person worldwide.
  • This pandemic was caused by influenza A H1N1 subtype.
  • the “Asian Flu” influenza pandemic, caused by the influenza A H2N2 subtype resulted in at least 70,000 deaths in the United States and 1-2 million deaths worldwide.
  • Most recently in 1968 the “Hong Kong Flu” influenza pandemic, caused by the influenza A H3N2 subtype resulted in about 34,000 U.S. deaths and 700,000 deaths worldwide.
  • influenza A neutralizing molecules against various H subtypes of the virus including, without limitation, the H1, and H3 subtypes, and the H5 subtype of the influenza A virus.
  • the invention further provides molecules capable of neutralizing more than one, and preferably all, isolates (strains) of a given subtype of the influenza A virus, including, without limitation, isolates obtained from various human and non-human species and isolates from victims and/or survivors of various influenza epidemics and/or pandemics.
  • Such neutralizing molecules can be used for the prevention and/or treatment influenza virus infection, including passive immunization of infected or at risk populations in cases of epidemics or pandemics.
  • the present invention concerns a molecule that can neutralize at least one subtype of an influenza virus and/or at least one isolate of an influenza virus.
  • the molecule is an antibody or an antibody-like molecule, wherein the molecule (i) neutralizes more than one subtype and/or more than one isolate of an influenza A virus, (ii) binds to a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the virus, and (iii) does not inhibit hemagglutination.
  • the molecule is a polypeptide comprising a VpreB sequence and/or a ⁇ 5 sequence.
  • the molecule is a polypeptide comprising a VpreB sequence fused to a ⁇ 5 sequence.
  • the molecule is a ⁇ -like surrogate light chain (SLC) construct comprising a V ⁇ -like and/or a JC ⁇ sequence.
  • the molecule is an antibody.
  • the molecule is cross-reactive with at least two HA antigens selected from the group consisting of H1, H2, H3, H5, H6, H7, H8 and H9.
  • the molecule is cross-reactive with at least two HA antigens selected from the group consisting of H1, H2, H3, H5, and H9.
  • the molecule is an antibody or an antibody-like molecule.
  • the molecule is an antibody fragment.
  • the present invention concerns a neutralizing molecule neutralizing an influenza A virus subtype.
  • the molecule is an antibody or an antibody-like molecule, wherein the molecule (i) neutralizes more than one subtype and/or more than one isolate of an influenza A virus, (ii) binds to a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the virus, and (iii) does not inhibit hemagglutination.
  • the molecule does not prevent the influenza A virus' globular head region from binding the surface of a cell.
  • the cell is a cell to be infected.
  • the molecule does not prevent the influenza A virus from attaching to a cell
  • the molecule binds to an epitope of an H5 subtype of the HA antigen; an H1 subtype of the HA antigen; or an H3 subtype of the HA antigen.
  • the H5, H3, or H1 epitope is displayed on the surface of an influenza A virus.
  • the H5 subtype is an H5N1 subtype.
  • the H1 subtype is an H1N1 subtype.
  • the molecule neutralizes more than one isolate of the H5 and/or H3 and/or H1 influenza A virus subtypes.
  • the molecule neutralizes more than one isolate of the H5N1 and/or H3N1 and/or H1N1 influenza A virus subtypes. In one embodiment, the molecule neutralizes all isolates of the H5 and/or H3 and/or H1 influenza A virus subtypes.
  • influenza A virus subtypes that are neutralized may be further characterized by a neuraminidase (N) glycoprotein, including without limitation N1 and N2.
  • N neuraminidase
  • the molecule neutralizes at least an H5 and/or H3 and/or an H1 influenza A virus subtypes.
  • the molecule neutralizes all H5 and/or H3 and/or H1 influenza A virus subtypes.
  • the molecule neutralizes more than one H5 and/or H3 and/or H1 isolate of an influenza A virus subtype.
  • the molecule neutralizes all H5 and/or H3 and/or H1 isolates of an influenza A virus subtype.
  • the molecule neutralizes all H5 and/or H3 and/or H1 isolates of an influenza A virus subtype where the isolates are capable of infecting humans.
  • the H5 subtype may comprise an H5 antigen and/or the H1 subtype may comprise an H1 antigen.
  • the present invention provides a molecule which binds essentially the same epitope as the epitope for a molecule having a heavy chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:9, or SEQ ID NO:61; or a consensus or variant sequence based upon said amino acid sequences, or a fragment thereof.
  • the molecule binds essentially the same epitope as the epitope for a molecule comprising a light chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:140, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:158, SEQ ID NO:159, or SEQ ID NO:160; or a consensus or variant sequence based upon said amino acid sequences.
  • the present invention provides a molecule comprising a heavy chain polypeptide containing SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:9, or SEQ ID NO:61, or a consensus or variant sequence based upon said amino acid sequences, or a fragment thereof.
  • the molecule further contains a light chain polypeptide containing SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:140, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:158, SEQ ID NO:159, or SEQ ID NO:160, or a consensus or variant sequence based upon said amino acid sequences, or a fragment thereof.
  • the molecule binds essentially the same epitope as a molecule that includes a heavy chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence having the formula: X 1 -X 2 -Q-L-V-Q-S-G-X 3 -E-V-X 4 -K-P-G-X 5 -S-V-X 6 -X 7 -S-C-K-X 8 -S-G-G-X 9 -F-S-S-Y-A-X 10 -X 11 -W-V-R-Q-A-P-G-Q-G-L-E-W-M-G-X 12 -G-I-I-X 13 -X 14 -F-G-T-T-X 15 -N-Y-A-Q-K-F-Q-G-R-X 16 -T-X 17 -T-A-D-X 19 -X 19 -T-S-T-A-Y-M-E-L-S-S-L
  • the molecule binds essentially the same epitope as the epitope for a molecule containing a light chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:140, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:158, SEQ ID NO:159, or SEQ ID NO:160, or a consensus or variant sequence based upon said amino acid sequences.
  • the molecule further contains a light chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:71, SEQ ID NO:140, SEQ ID NO:81, SEQ ID NO:158, SEQ ID NO:159, or SEQ ID NO:160.
  • the molecule is an antibody or an antibody-like molecule.
  • the antibody or an antibody-like molecule (i) neutralizes more than one subtype and/or more than one isolate of an influenza A virus, (ii) binds to a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the virus, and (iii) does not inhibit hemagglutination.
  • HA hemagglutinin
  • At least one of the virus subtypes and/or isolates neutralized by the molecules herein has the ability to infect humans.
  • At least one of said isolates has been obtained from a human subject.
  • the human subject is or was diseased with an influenza virus at the time of obtaining the isolate.
  • the human subject recovered from infection with the influenza virus A.
  • the influenza virus A is an H5 subtype and/or an H1 subtype of influenza virus A.
  • At least one of said isolates has been obtained from a non-human animal. In another embodiment, at least one of the isolates is from a bird, including, without limitation, wild-fowls and chicken.
  • the molecules neutralize an H5 subtype and an H1 subtype.
  • the neutralizing molecules of the present invention bind the H5 and/or H1 protein.
  • the H5 protein is an H5 HA protein.
  • the molecules bind more than one variant of the H5 protein, or, even more preferably, substantially all variants of the H5 protein.
  • the molecule also binds to at least one additional HA antigen.
  • the additional HA antigen is an H1 HA antigen.
  • the molecule binds to substantially all variants of the H1 HA protein.
  • the at least one additional HA antigen is selected from the group consisting of H2, H3, H5, H6, H7, H8 and H9.
  • the at least one additional HA antigen also binds to HA antigen H5; HA antigens H3 and H9; or HA antigens H3, H5, and H9.
  • the molecules described herein bind to the H5 protein and to at least one additional H protein, such as an H1 protein.
  • the invention concerns compositions comprising the neutralizing molecules described herein.
  • the compositions comprise an antibody or antibody-like molecule described herein.
  • the invention concerns a method for identifying a molecule capable of neutralizing more than one isolate of a single influenza A virus subtype or multiple influenza A virus subtypes.
  • This method comprises identifying molecules, e.g., antibodies, antibody fragments, or antibody-like molecules in an antibody library, that react with both a first and a second isolate of the influenza A virus subtype or with a first and a second subtype of the influenza A virus, and subjecting the molecules identified to successive, alternating rounds of selection, based on their ability to bind the first and second isolates, or the first and second subtypes, respectively.
  • the method further comprises isolating the identified antibody.
  • the present invention provides a method of identifying an antibody capable of neutralizing an isolate of an H5 influenza A virus and/or an isolate of an H1 influenza A virus; or a subtype of an H5 influenza A virus and/or a subtype of an H1 influenza A virus.
  • the method comprises identifying, in an antibody library, antibodies that react with both an H5 isolate and/or an H1 isolate; or an H5 subtype and/or an H1 subtype, and subjecting the antibodies identified to successive alternating rounds of selection, based on their ability to bind said H5 and/or H1 isolates or HA proteins; or said H5 and/or H1 subtypes or HA proteins, respectively.
  • the method comprises at least two rounds of selection.
  • the method further comprises isolating the identified antibody.
  • the H5 isolate is an H5 subtype of said influenza A virus or HA and/or said H1 isolate is an H1 subtype of said influenza A virus or HA.
  • the antibodies that react with both a first and a second influenza A virus subtype isolate or HA have been identified by at least two rounds of separate enrichment of antibodies reacting with the first isolate or HA and the second isolate or HA, respectively, and recombining the antibodies identified.
  • the antibody that can react with both said H5 and said H1 influenza A subtype isolates or HAs is subjected to mutagenesis prior to being subjected to said successive alternating rounds of selection, based on their ability to bind said H5 and second H1 subtype isolates or HAs, respectively.
  • the influenza A virus subtype is an H5 subtype or HA and said influenza A virus subtype is an H1 subtype or HA.
  • the H5 subtype is, or the HA is from, a 2006 Turkish isolate of the H5 virus; the H5 subtype is, or the HA is from, a 2003/2004 Vietnam isolate of the H5 virus; the H5 subtype is, or the HA is from, a 1997 Hong Kong isolate of the H5 virus; the H1 subtype is, or the HA is from, a New Calcdonia/20/99 isolate of the H1 virus; the H5 and/or said H1 subtypes or HAs originate from different species; or any combination thereof.
  • at least one of said species is human; or at least one of said species is a bird.
  • the antibodies capable of binding said H5 and/or said H1 isolates are additionally selected based on their ability to bind more than one influenza A subtype.
  • the molecule library is a phage display library.
  • the selection is performed by biopanning.
  • the molecule that can react with both the first and the second influenza A subtype isolate is subjected to mutagenesis prior to being subjected to successive alternating rounds of selection, based on its ability to bind the first and second isolate, respectively. If desired, the molecules capable of binding the first and the second isolate are additionally selected based on their ability to bind more than one influenza A subtype.
  • the invention concerns a collection of sequences shared by the neutralizing molecules of the present invention and identified by the methods described herein.
  • the collection of sequences comprises one or more of the unique heavy and/or light chain sequences shown in Table 2 or a consensus or variant sequence based on said sequences.
  • the present invention provides a neutralizing antibody or a fragment thereof, identified by the methods described herein.
  • the invention concerns a method for treating an influenza A infection in a subject comprising of administering to the subject an effective amount of a neutralizing molecule or molecule composition herein.
  • the subject is a human patient. In all embodiments, the subject is a subject at risk of developing an influenza A infection.
  • the invention concerns a method for producing a diverse multifunctional molecule collection, comprising: (a) aligning CDR sequences of at least two functionally different molecules, e.g., antibodies, antibody fragments, or antibody-like molecules, (b) identifying amino acid residues conserved between the CDR sequences aligned, and (c) performing mutagenesis of multiple non-conserved amino acid residues in at least one of the CDR sequences aligned, using degenerate oligonucleotide probes encoding at least the amino acid residues present in the functionally different molecules at the non-conserved positions mutagenized to produce multiple variants of the aligned CDR sequences, and, if desired, repeating steps (b) and (c) with one or more of the variants until the molecule collection reaches a desired degree of diversity and/or size.
  • a functionally different molecules e.g., antibodies, antibody fragments, or antibody-like molecules
  • the CDR sequences aligned have the same lengths.
  • conserved amino acid residues are retained in at least two of the CDR sequences aligned.
  • the invention concerns a molecule collection comprising a plurality of neutralizing molecules, e.g., antibodies, antibody fragments, or antibody-like molecules, which differ from each other in at least one property.
  • neutralizing molecules e.g., antibodies, antibody fragments, or antibody-like molecules
  • the invention further concerns a method for uniquely identifying nucleic acids in a collection comprising labeling the nucleic acids with a unique barcode linked to or incorporated in the sequences of the nucleic acid present in such collection.
  • a molecule which (i) neutralizes more than one subtype and/or more than one isolate of an influenza A virus, (ii) binds to a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the virus, and (iii) does not prevent hemagglutination;
  • a molecule comprising a heavy chain polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:9, and SEQ ID NO:61; or a consensus or variant sequence based upon said amino acid sequences, or a fragment thereof; or
  • a molecule comprising a heavy chain polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having the formula: X 1 -X 2 -Q-L-V-Q-S-G-X 3 -E-V-X 4 -K-P-G-X 5 -S-V-X 6 -X 7 -S-C-K-X 8 -S-G-G-X 9 -F-S-S-Y-A-X 10 -X 11 -W-V-R-Q-A-P-G-Q-G-L-E-W-M-G-X 12 -G-I-I-X 13 -X 14 -F-G-T-T-X 15 -N-Y-A-Q-K-F-Q-G-R-X 16 -T-X 17 -T-A-D-X 18 -X 19 -T-S-T-A-Y-M-E-L-S-S-L-R-S-X 20 -D-T-A-A-
  • amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:161 further comprises -V-T-V-S-S or -V-R-V-S-S at the C-terminal end following X 24 .
  • the vaccine is based on a molecule that binds an HA antigen.
  • the HA antigen is an H5 subtype or an H1 subtype.
  • the antigen is displayed on the surface of an influenza A virus.
  • the peptide or polypeptide contains antigenic determinants that raise neutralizing molecules, e.g., antibodies.
  • compositions that comprise a molecule described herein.
  • the molecule is an antibody, antibody fragment, or antibody-like molecule.
  • the present invention provides neutralizing antibodies identified by the methods described herein.
  • the neutralizing antibody is an antibody or an antibody fragment.
  • the neutralizing antibody or antibody fragment is capable of conferring passive immunity to an avian or mammalian subject against an influenza A virus infection.
  • the mammalian subject is a human.
  • the influenza A virus infection is caused by an H5 subtype and/or an H1 subtype.
  • the present invention provides molecules capable of binding to and neutralizing a viral antigen.
  • the molecule comprises an antibody heavy chain variable domain comprising at least one substitution in the surface exposed cluster determined by amino acid positions 52A, 53, 73, and 74, following Kabat amino acid numbering, wherein said molecule is capable of binding to and neutralizing a viral antigen.
  • the molecule comprises a substitution at least one of amino acid positions 52A, 53, 73, and 74.
  • the molecule comprises a substitution at all of amino acid positions 52A, 53, 73, and 74.
  • the molecule further comprises a substitution at amino acid position 57.
  • the molecule further comprises P52G, I53M, L73E, and S74L/M substitutions. In another embodiment, the molecule additionally comprises an A57T substitution. In another embodiment, the molecule also comprises a substitution at least one of amino acid positions 24, 34, 35 and 50. In another embodiment, the molecule comprises substitutions at all of amino acid positions 24, 34, 35 and 50. In another embodiment, the molecule comprises V24T, W34V, G35T and S50A substitutions.
  • the molecules of the present invention comprise a heavy chain variable domain sequence from a germ-line heavy chain.
  • the germ-line heavy chain is a V H 1e or a V H 1-69 germ-line heavy chain.
  • the rest of the heavy chain variable domain sequence retains the sequence of the germ-line heavy chain.
  • the germ-line heavy chain variable domain comprises at least one additional conservative substitution.
  • the molecules further comprise a light chain sequence.
  • the light chain sequence is an antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain sequence.
  • the light chain sequence is a surrogate light chain sequence.
  • the surrogate light chain sequence comprises a VpreB sequence and/or a ⁇ 5 sequence.
  • the surrogate light chain sequence comprises a VpreB sequence fused to a ⁇ 5 sequence.
  • the surrogate light chain sequence is a ⁇ -like surrogate light chain (SLC) construct comprising a V ⁇ -like and/or a JC ⁇ sequence.
  • SLC ⁇ -like surrogate light chain
  • the viral antigen neutralized by the molecule is selected from the group consisting of viral antigens from influenza viruses, HIV-1, HIV-2, HTLV-I and -II viruses, SARS coronavirus, herpes simplex virus, Epstein Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis virus (HCV, HAV, HBV, HDV, HEV), toxoplasma gondii virus, treponema pallidium virus, human T-lymphotrophic virus, encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Dengue virus, Varicella Zoster Virus, rubeola, mumps, and rubella.
  • influenza viruses HIV-1, HIV-2, HTLV-I and -II viruses
  • SARS coronavirus herpes simplex virus, Epstein Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis virus (HCV, HAV, HBV, HDV, HEV), toxoplasma gondii virus, treponema pallidium virus, human T
  • the viral antigen is from an influenza virus or an HIV-1 or HIV-2 virus.
  • the present invention provides vaccines effective against influenza A virus.
  • the vaccine comprises a peptide or polypeptide functionally mimicking a neutralization epitope of a molecule described herein.
  • the vaccine effective against a viral antigen comprises a peptide or polypeptide functionally mimicking a neutralization epitope of a molecule described herein.
  • the viral antigen is from an influenza virus or an HIV-1 or HIV-2 virus.
  • the vaccine is a vaccine effective against an influenza A virus, comprising a peptide or polypeptide functionally mimicking a neutralization epitope of a molecule described herein.
  • the molecule is an antibody.
  • the antibody binds an HA antigen.
  • the HA antigen is an H5 subtype.
  • the HA antigen is an H1 subtype.
  • the antigen is displayed on the surface of an influenza A virus.
  • the peptide or polypeptide comprises antigenic determinants that raise neutralizing antibodies.
  • the vaccine is suitable for oral administration, parenteral administration, transdermal delivery, or transmucosal delivery.
  • the transmucosal delivery is intra-nasal administration.
  • the vaccine is for childhood immunization.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a typical panning enrichment scheme for increasing the reactive strength towards two different targets, A and B. Each round of enrichment increases the reactive strength of the pool towards the individual target(s).
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a strategy for the selection of clones cross-reactive with targets A and B, in which each successive round reinforces the reactive strength of the resulting pool towards both targets.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a strategy for increasing the reactive strengths towards two different targets (targets A and B), by recombining parallel discovery pools to generate/increase cross-reactivity. Each round of selection of the recombined antibody library increases the reactive strength of the resulting pool towards both targets.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a strategy for increasing cross-reactivity to a target B while maintaining reactivity to a target A.
  • a clone reactive with target A is selected, then a mutagenic library of the clones reactive with target A is prepared, and selection is performed as shown, yielding one or more antibody clones that show strong reactivity with both target A and target B.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a representative mutagenesis method for generating a diverse multifunctional antibody collection by the “destinational mutagenesis” method.
  • FIG. 6 shows the analysis of antibody binding to hemagglutinins from different influenza A subtypes.
  • FIG. 7 shows the positions of H5 hemagglutinin binding Group 1 required and dominant mutations on the crystal structure of Fab 47e.
  • FIG. 8 shows the cross-reactive titers of Turkish avian influenza survivors to the H5N1 Vietnam 1203/04 hemagglutinin protein.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the cloning and barcoding of annotated repertoires.
  • influenza A subtype or “influenza A virus subtype” are used interchangeably, and refer to influenza A virus variants that are characterized by a hemagglutinin (H) viral surface protein, and thus are labeled by an H number, such as, for example, H1, H3, and H5.
  • H hemagglutinin
  • the subtypes may be further characterized by a neuraminidase (N) viral surface protein, indicated by an N number, such as, for example, N1 and N2.
  • N neuraminidase
  • a subtype may be referred to by both H and N numbers, such as, for example, H1N1, H5N1, and H5N2.
  • strains specifically include all strains (including extinct strains) within each subtype, which usually result from mutations and show different pathogenic profiles. Such strains will also be referred to as various “isolates” of a viral subtype, including all past, present and future isolates. Accordingly, in this context, the terms “strain” and “isolate” are used interchangeably.
  • Subtypes contain antigens based upon an influenza A virus. The antigens may be based upon a hemagglutinin viral surface protein and can be designated as “HA antigen”. In some instances, such antigens are based on the protein of a particular subtype, such as, for example, an H1 subtype and an H5 subtype, which may be designated an H1 antigen and an H5 antigen, respectively.
  • influenza is used to refer to a contagious disease caused by an influenza virus.
  • antibody in the broadest sense and includes polypeptides which exhibit binding specificity to a specific antigen.
  • “Native antibodies” are usually heterotetrameric glycoproteins of about 150,000 daltons, composed of two identical light (L) chains and two identical heavy (H) chains. Each light chain is linked to a heavy chain by covalent disulfide bond(s), while the number of disulfide linkages varies between the heavy chains of different immunoglobulin isotypes. Each heavy and light chain also has regularly spaced intrachain disulfide bridges. Each heavy chain has, at one end, a variable domain (V H ) followed by a number of constant domains.
  • V H variable domain
  • Each light chain has a variable domain at one end (V L ) and a constant domain at its other end; the constant domain of the light chain is aligned with the first constant domain of the heavy chain, and the light chain variable domain is aligned with the variable domain of the heavy chain.
  • Particular amino acid residues are believed to form an interface between the light- and heavy-chain variable domains, Chothia et al., J. Mol. Biol. 186:651 (1985); Novotny and Haber, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82:4592 (1985).
  • variable with reference to antibody chains is used to refer to portions of the antibody chains which differ extensively in sequence among antibodies and participate in the binding and specificity of each particular antibody for its particular antigen. Such variability is concentrated in three segments called hypervariable regions both in the light chain and the heavy chain variable domains. The more highly conserved portions of variable domains are called the framework region (FR).
  • the variable domains of native heavy and light chains each comprise four FRs (FR1, FR2, FR3 and FR4, respectively), largely adopting a ⁇ -sheet configuration, connected by three hypervariable regions, which form loops connecting, and in some cases forming part of, the ⁇ -sheet structure.
  • the hypervariable regions in each chain are held together in close proximity by the FRs and, with the hypervariable regions from the other chain, contribute to the formation of the antigen-binding site of antibodies (see Kabat et al., Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest, 5th Ed. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. (1991), pages 647-669).
  • the constant domains are not involved directly in binding an antibody to an antigen, but exhibit various effector functions, such as participation of the antibody in antibody-dependent cellular toxicity.
  • hypervariable region when used herein refers to the amino acid residues of an antibody which are responsible for antigen-binding.
  • the hypervariable region comprises amino acid residues from a “complementarity determining region” or “CDR” (i.e., residues 30-36 (L1), 46-55 (L2) and 86-96 (L3) in the light chain variable domain and 30-35 (H1), 47-58 (H2) and 93-101 (H3) in the heavy chain variable domain; MacCallum et al., J Mol. Biol. 1996.
  • “Framework” or “FR” residues are those variable domain residues other than the hypervariable region residues as herein defined.
  • antibodies can be assigned to different classes. There are five major classes of antibodies IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM, and several of these may be further divided into subclasses (isotypes), e.g., IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA, and IgA2.
  • the heavy-chain constant domains that correspond to the different classes of immunoglobulins are called ⁇ , ⁇ , ⁇ , ⁇ , and ⁇ , respectively.
  • the “light chains” of antibodies from any vertebrate species can be assigned to one of two clearly distinct types, called kappa ( ⁇ ) and lambda ( ⁇ ), based on the amino acid sequences of their constant domains.
  • antibody fragment is a portion of a full length antibody, generally the antigen binding or variable domain thereof.
  • antibody fragments include, but are not limited to, Fab, Fab′, F(ab′) 2 , and Fv fragments, linear antibodies, single-chain antibody molecules, diabodies, and multispecific antibodies formed from antibody fragments.
  • Further examples of antibody fragments include, but are not limited to, scFv, (scFv) 2 , dAbs (single-domain antibodies), and complementarity determining region (CDR) fragments, and minibodies, which are minimized variable domains whose two loops are amenable to combinatorial mutagenesis.
  • monoclonal antibody is used to refer to an antibody molecule synthesized by a single clone of B cells.
  • the modifier “monoclonal” indicates the character of the antibody as being obtained from a substantially homogeneous population of antibodies, and is not to be construed as requiring production of the antibody by any particular method.
  • monoclonal antibodies may be made by the hybridoma method first described by Kohler and Milstein, Nature 256:495 (1975); Eur. J. Immunol. 6:511 (1976), by recombinant DNA techniques, or may also be isolated from phage antibody libraries.
  • polyclonal antibody is used to refer to a population of antibody molecules synthesized by a population of B cells.
  • Single-chain Fv or “sFv” antibody fragments comprise the V H and V L domains of antibody, wherein these domains are present in a single polypeptide chain.
  • the Fv polypeptide further comprises a polypeptide linker between the V H and V L domains which enables the sFv to form the desired structure for antigen binding.
  • Single-chain antibodies are disclosed, for example in WO 88/06630 and WO 92/01047.
  • diabody refers to small antibody fragments with two antigen-binding sites, which fragments comprise a heavy chain variable domain (V H ) connected to a light chain variable domain (V L ) in the same polypeptide chain (V H -V L ).
  • V H heavy chain variable domain
  • V L light chain variable domain
  • the domains are forced to pair with the complementary domains of another chain and create two antigen-binding sites.
  • Diabodies are described more fully in, for example, EP 404,097; WO 93/11161; and Hollinger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6444-6448 (1993).
  • minibody is used to refer to an scFv-CH3 fusion protein that self-assembles into a bivalent dimer of 80 kDa (scFv-CH3) 2 .
  • aptamer is used herein to refer to synthetic nucleic acid ligands that bind to protein targets with high specificity and affinity. Aptamers are known as potent inhibitors of protein function.
  • a dAb fragment (Ward et al., Nature 341:544 546 (1989)) consists of a V H domain or a V L domain.
  • antibody binding regions refers to one or more portions of an immunoglobulin or antibody variable region capable of binding an antigen(s).
  • the antibody binding region is, for example, an antibody light chain (V L ) (or variable region thereof), an antibody heavy chain (V H ) (or variable region thereof), a heavy chain Fd region, a combined antibody light and heavy chain (or variable region thereof) such as a Fab, F(ab′) 2 , single domain, or single chain antibody (scFv), or a full length antibody, for example, an IgG (e.g., an IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, or IgG4 subtype), IgA1, IgA2, IgD, IgE, or IgM antibody.
  • V L antibody light chain
  • V H antibody heavy chain
  • a heavy chain Fd region a combined antibody light and heavy chain (or variable region thereof) such as a Fab, F(ab′) 2 , single domain, or single chain antibody (scFv)
  • bispecific antibody refers to an antibody that shows specificities to two different types of antigens.
  • the term as used herein specifically includes, without limitation, antibodies which show binding specificity for a target antigen and to another target that facilitates delivery to a particular tissue.
  • multi-specific antibodies have two or more binding specificities.
  • linear antibody is used to refer to comprising a pair of tandem Fd segments (V H -C H 1-V H -C H 1) which form a pair of antigen binding regions.
  • Linear antibodies can be bispecific or monospecific and are described, for example, by Zapata et al., Protein Eng 8(10):1057-1062 (1995).
  • the term “antibody-like molecule” includes any molecule, other than an antibody fragment as hereinabove defined, that is capable of binding to and neutralizing a viral antigen.
  • the term specifically includes, without limitation, pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) like structures, referred to as “surrobodies,” including surrogate light chain (SLC) elements, as described, for example, in PCT Publication No. WO 2008/118970, published Oct. 2, 2008, and in Xu et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 105(31): 10756-61 (2008).
  • the SLC is a nondiversified heterodimer composed of the noncovalently associated Vpre-B and ⁇ 5 proteins.
  • the VpreB chain is homologous to a V ⁇ Ig domain
  • the ⁇ 5 chain is homologous to the C ⁇ domain of canonical antibodies, respectively.
  • the heterodimeric SLC is covalently associated with the heavy chain in the pre-BCR complex by disulfide bonds between the C ⁇ domain and the first constant domain of the pre-BCR HC.
  • a unique feature of the SLC is that the VpreB1 and the ⁇ 5 domains each have noncanonical peptide extensions.
  • VpreB1 has an additional 21 residues on its C terminus
  • ⁇ 5 has a 50-aa-long tail on its N terminus (see, e.g. Vettermann et al., Semin. Immunol. 18:44-55 (2006)).
  • the surrobody structures specifically include, without limitation, the native trimeric pre-BCR-like functional unit of the pre-BCR, fusion of VpreB1 to ⁇ 5, and trimers that eliminated either the ⁇ 5 N-terminal 50 aa or the VpreB1 C-terminal 21 aa or both peptide extensions.
  • chimeric constructs using the constant components of classical antibody light chains are specifically included within the definition of surrobodies.
  • antibody-like molecules are similar structures comprising antibody surrogate ⁇ light chain sequences, where ⁇ light chain sequences are optionally partnered with another polypeptide, such as, for example, antibody heavy and/or light chain domain sequences.
  • a ⁇ -like B cell receptor ⁇ -like BCR
  • ⁇ -like SLC ⁇ -like surrogate light chain
  • ⁇ 5 is used herein in the broadest sense and refers to any native sequence or variant ⁇ 5 polypeptide, specifically including, without limitation, native sequence human and other mammalian ⁇ 5 polypeptides, and variants formed by posttranslational modifications, as well a variants of such native sequence polypeptides.
  • variant VpreB polypeptide and “a variant of a VpreB polypeptide” are used interchangeably, and are defined herein as a polypeptide differing from a native sequence VpreB polypeptide at one or more amino acid positions as a result of an amino acid modification.
  • variant VpreB polypeptide as defined herein, will be different from a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain sequence, or a fragment thereof.
  • variable VpreB polypeptide will preferably retain at least about 65%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 85%, or at least about 90%, or at least about 95%, or at least about 98% sequence identity with a native sequence VpreB polypeptide.
  • the “variant VpreB polypeptide” will be less then 95%, or less than 90%, or less then 85%, or less than 80%, or less than 75%, or less then 70%, or less than 65%, or less than 60% identical in its amino acid sequence to a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain sequence.
  • Variant VpreB polypeptides specifically include, without limitation, VpreB polypeptides in which the non-Ig-like unique tail at the C-terminus of the VpreB sequence is partially or completely removed.
  • the terms “variant ⁇ 5 polypeptide” and “a variant of a ⁇ 5 polypeptide” are used interchangeably, and are defined herein as a polypeptide differing from a native sequence ⁇ 5 polypeptide at one or more amino acid positions as a result of an amino acid modification.
  • the “variant ⁇ 5 polypeptide,” as defined herein, will be different from a native antibody ⁇ or K light chain sequence, or a fragment thereof.
  • variable ⁇ 5 polypeptide will preferably retain at least about 65%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 85%, or at least about 90%, or at least about 95%, or at least about 98% sequence identity with a native sequence ⁇ 5 polypeptide.
  • the “‘variant ⁇ 5 polypeptide” will be less then 95%, or less than 90%, or less then 85%, or less than 80%, or less than 75%, or less then 70%, or less than 65%, or less than 60% identical in its amino acid sequence to a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain sequence.
  • Variant ⁇ 5 polypeptides specifically include, without limitation. ⁇ 5 polypeptides in which the unique tail at the N-terminus of the ⁇ 5 sequence is partially or completely removed.
  • VpreB sequence is used herein to refer to the sequence of “VpreB,” as hereinabove defined, or a fragment thereof.
  • ⁇ 5 sequence is used herein to refers to the sequence of “ ⁇ 5,” as hereinabove defined, or a fragment thereof.
  • surrogate light chain sequence means any polypeptide sequence that comprises a “VpreB sequence” and/or a “ ⁇ 5 sequence,” as hereinabove defined.
  • variants of native sequence V ⁇ -like polypeptides comprise a C-terminal extension (tail) relative to antibody ⁇ light chain sequences.
  • variants of native sequence V ⁇ -like polypeptides retain at least part, and preferably all, of the unique C-terminal extension (tail) that distinguishes the V ⁇ -like polypeptides from the corresponding antibody ⁇ light chains.
  • the C-terminal tail of the variant V ⁇ -like polypeptide is a sequence not naturally associated with the rest of the sequence.
  • the difference between the C-terminal tail naturally present in the native V ⁇ -like sequence and the variant sequence may result from one or more amino acid alterations (substitutions, insertions, deletions, and/or additions), or the C-terminal tail may be identical with a tail present in nature in a different V ⁇ -like protein.
  • the V ⁇ -like polypeptides may contain amino acid alterations in regions corresponding to one or more of antibody ⁇ light chain CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 sequences.
  • the variants can, and preferably do, include a C-terminal extension of at least four, or at least five, or at least six, or at least seven, or at least eight, or at least nine, or at least ten amino acids, preferably 4-100, or 4-90, or 4-80, or 4-70, or 4-60, or 4-50, or 4-45, or 4-40, or 4-35, or 4-30, or 4-25, or 4-20, or 4-15, or 4-10 amino acid residues relative to a native antibody ⁇ light chain variable region sequence.
  • V ⁇ -like polypeptide variant will be different from a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain sequence or a fragment thereof, and will preferably retain at least about 65%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 85%, or at least about 90%, or at least about 95%, or at least about 98% sequence identity with a native sequence V ⁇ polypeptide.
  • the V ⁇ -like polypeptide variant will be less then 95%, or less than 90%, or less then 85%, or less than 80%, or less than 75%, or less then 70%, or less than 65%, or less than 60%, or less then 55%, or less than 50%, or less than 45%, or less than 40% identical in its amino acid sequence to a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain sequence.
  • sequence identity is between about 40% and about 95%, or between about 45% and about 90%, or between about 50% and about 85%, or between about 55% and about 80%, or between about 60% and about 75%, or between about 60% and about 80%, or between about 65% and about 85%, or between about 65% and about 90%, or between about 65% and about 95%.
  • V ⁇ -like polypeptides are capable of binding to a target.
  • JC ⁇ and JC ⁇ -like are used interchangeably, and refer to native sequence polypeptides that include a portion identical to a native sequence ⁇ J-constant (C) region segment and a unique N-terminal extension (tail), and variants thereof.
  • variants of native sequence JC ⁇ -like polypeptides comprise an N-terminal extension (tail) that distinguishes them from an antibody JC segment.
  • variants of native sequence JC ⁇ -like polypeptides retain at least part, and preferably all, of the unique N-terminal extension (tail) that distinguishes the JC ⁇ -like polypeptides from the corresponding antibody ⁇ light chain JC segments.
  • the N-terminal tail of the variant JC ⁇ -like polypeptide is a sequence not naturally associated with the rest of the sequence.
  • the difference between the N-terminal tail naturally present in the native JC ⁇ -like sequence and the variant sequence may result from one or more amino acid alterations (substitutions, insertions, deletions, and/or additions), or the N-terminal tail may be identical with a tail present in nature in a different JC ⁇ -like protein.
  • Variants of native sequence JC ⁇ -like polypeptides may contain one or more amino acid alterations in the part of the sequence that is identical to a native antibody ⁇ variable domain JC sequence.
  • the variants can, and preferably do, include an N-terminal extension (unique N-terminus) of at least four, or at least five, or at least six, or at least seven, or at least eight, or at least nine, or at least ten amino acids, preferably 4-100, or 4-90, or 4-80, or 4-70, or 4-60, 4-50, or 4-45, or 4-40, or 4-35, or 4-30, or 4-25, or 4-20, or 4-15, or 4-10 amino acid residues relative to a native antibody ⁇ light chain JC sequence.
  • an N-terminal extension unique N-terminus of at least four, or at least five, or at least six, or at least seven, or at least eight, or at least nine, or at least ten amino acids, preferably 4-100, or 4-90, or 4-80, or 4-70, or 4-60, 4-50, or 4-45, or 4-40, or 4-35, or 4-30, or 4-25, or 4-20, or 4-15, or 4-10 amino acid residues relative to a native antibody ⁇
  • the JC ⁇ -like polypeptide variant as defined herein, will be different from a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain JC sequence, or a fragment thereof, and will preferably retain at least about 65%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 85%, or at least about 90%, or at least about 95%, or at least about 98% sequence identity with a native sequence JC polypeptide.
  • the JC ⁇ -like polypeptide variant will be less then 95%, or less than 90%, or less then 85%, or less than 80%, or less than 75%, or less then 70%, or less than 65%, or less than 60% identical in its amino acid sequence to a native antibody ⁇ or ⁇ light chain JC sequence.
  • the sequence identity is between about 40% and about 95%, or between about 45% and about 90%, or between about 50% and about 85%, or between about 55% and about 80%, or between about 60% and about 75%, or between about 60% and about 80%, or between about 65% and about 85%, or between about 65% and about 90%, or between about 65% and about 95%.
  • Percent amino acid sequence identity may be determined using the sequence comparison program NCBI-BLAST2 (Altschul et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402 (1997)).
  • NCBI-BLAST2 sequence comparison program may be downloaded from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov or otherwise obtained from the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md.
  • conjugation refers to any and all forms of covalent or non-covalent linkage, and include, without limitation, direct genetic or chemical fusion, coupling through a linker or a cross-linking agent, and non-covalent association, for example through Van der Waals forces, or by using a leucine zipper.
  • fusion is used herein to refer to the combination of amino acid sequences of different origin in one polypeptide chain by in-frame combination of their coding nucleotide sequences.
  • fusion explicitly encompasses internal fusions, i.e., insertion of sequences of different origin within a polypeptide chain, in addition to fusion to one of its termini.
  • peptide As used herein, the terms “peptide,” “polypeptide” and “protein” all refer to a primary sequence of amino acids that are joined by covalent “peptide linkages.” In general, a peptide consists of a few amino acids, typically from about 2 to about 50 amino acids, and is shorter than a protein.
  • polypeptide as defined herein, encompasses peptides and proteins.
  • amino acid typically refers to an amino acid having its art recognized definition such as an amino acid selected from the group consisting of: alanine (Ala); arginine (Arg); asparagine (Asn); aspartic acid (Asp); cysteine (Cys); glutamine (Gln); glutamic acid (Glu); glycine (Gly); histidine (His); isoleucine (Ile): leucine (Leu); lysine (Lys); methionine (Met); phenylalanine (Phe); proline (Pro); serine (Ser); threonine (Thr); tryptophan (Trp); tyrosine (Tyr); and valine (Val) although modified, synthetic, or rare amino acids may be used as desired.
  • amino acids can be subdivided into various sub-groups.
  • amino acids can be grouped as having a nonpolar side chain (e.g., Ala, Cys, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Pro, Val); a negatively charged side chain (e.g., Asp, Glu); a positively charged side chain (e.g., Arg, His, Lys); or an uncharged polar side chain (e.g., Asn, Cys, Gln, Gly, His, Met, Phe, Ser, Thr, Trp, and Tyr).
  • a nonpolar side chain e.g., Ala, Cys, Ile, Leu, Met, Phe, Pro, Val
  • a negatively charged side chain e.g., Asp, Glu
  • a positively charged side chain e.g., Arg, His, Lys
  • an uncharged polar side chain e.g., Asn, Cys, Gln, Gly, His, Met, Phe, Ser,
  • Amino acids can also be grouped as small amino acids (Gly, Ala), nucleophilic amino acids (Ser, His, Thr, Cys), hydrophobic amino acids (Val, Leu, Ile, Met, Pro), aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, Trp, Asp, Glu), amides (Asp, Glu), and basic amino acids (Lys, Arg).
  • polynucleotide(s) refers to nucleic acids such as DNA molecules and RNA molecules and analogues thereof (e.g., DNA or RNA generated using nucleotide analogues or using nucleic acid chemistry).
  • the polynucleotides may be made synthetically, e.g., using art-recognized nucleic acid chemistry or enzymatically using, e.g., a polymerase, and, if desired, be modified. Typical modifications include methylation, biotinylation, and other art-known modifications.
  • the nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded and, where desired, linked to a detectable moiety.
  • variant refers to a polypeptide that possesses at least one amino acid mutation or modification (i.e., alteration) as compared to a native polypeptide.
  • variants generated by “amino acid modifications” can be produced, for example, by substituting, deleting, inserting and/or chemically modifying at least one amino acid in the native amino acid sequence.
  • amino acid modification refers to a change in the amino acid sequence of a predetermined amino acid sequence.
  • exemplary modifications include an amino acid substitution, insertion and/or deletion.
  • amino acid modification at a specified position refers to the substitution or deletion of the specified residue, or the insertion of at least one amino acid residue adjacent the specified residue.
  • insertion “adjacent” a specified residue is meant insertion within one to two residues thereof. The insertion may be N-terminal or C-terminal to the specified residue.
  • amino acid substitution refers to the replacement of at least one existing amino acid residue in a predetermined amino acid sequence with another different “replacement” amino acid residue.
  • the replacement residue or residues may be “naturally occurring amino acid residues” (i.e. encoded by the genetic code) and selected from the group consisting of: alanine (Ala); arginine (Arg); asparagine (Asn); aspartic acid (Asp); cysteine (Cys); glutamine (Gln); glutamic acid (Glu); glycine (Gly); histidine (His); isoleucine (Ile): leucine (Leu); lysine (Lys); methionine (Met); phenylalanine (Phe); proline (Pro); serine (Ser); threonine (Thr); tryptophan (Trp); tyrosine (Tyr); and valine (Val). Substitution with one or more non-naturally occurring amino acid residues is also encompasse
  • non-naturally occurring amino acid residue refers to a residue, other than those naturally occurring amino acid residues listed above, which is able to covalently bind adjacent amino acid residues(s) in a polypeptide chain.
  • non-naturally occurring amino acid residues include norleucine, ornithine, norvaline, homoserine and other amino acid residue analogues such as those described in Ellman et al. Meth. Enzym. 202:301 336 (1991).
  • the procedures of Noren et al. Science 244:182 (1989) and Ellman et al., supra can be used. Briefly, these procedures involve chemically activating a suppressor tRNA with a non-naturally occurring amino acid residue followed by in vitro transcription and translation of the RNA.
  • amino acid insertion refers to the incorporation of at least one amino acid into a predetermined amino acid sequence. While the insertion will usually consist of the insertion of one or two amino acid residues, the present application contemplates larger “peptide insertions”, e.g. insertion of about three to about five or even up to about ten amino acid residues.
  • the inserted residue(s) may be naturally occurring or non-naturally occurring as disclosed above.
  • amino acid deletion refers to the removal of at least one amino acid residue from a predetermined amino acid sequence.
  • mutagenesis refers to, unless otherwise specified, any art recognized technique for altering a polynucleotide or polypeptide sequence. Preferred types of mutagenesis include error prone PCR mutagenesis, saturation mutagenesis, or other site directed mutagenesis.
  • Site-directed mutagenesis is a technique standard in the art, and is conducted using a synthetic oligonucleotide primer complementary to a single-stranded phage DNA to be mutagenized except for limited mismatching, representing the desired mutation. Briefly, the synthetic oligonucleotide is used as a primer to direct synthesis of a strand complementary to the single-stranded phage DNA, and the resulting double-stranded DNA is transformed into a phage-supporting host bacterium. Cultures of the transformed bacteria are plated in top agar, permitting plaque formation from single cells that harbor the phage.
  • Plaques of interest are selected by hybridizing with kinased synthetic primer at a temperature that permits hybridization of an exact match, but at which the mismatches with the original strand are sufficient to prevent hybridization. Plaques that hybridize with the probe are then selected, sequenced and cultured, and the DNA is recovered.
  • neutralizing molecule is used herein in the broadest sense and refers to any molecule that inhibits a virus from replicatively infecting a target cell, irrespective of the mechanism by which neutralization is achieved.
  • the neutralizing molecule preferably an antibody or an antibody-like molecule, as hereinabove defined, Neutralization can be achieved, for example, by inhibiting the attachment or adhesion of the virus to the cell surface, e.g., by engineering an molecule, such as an antibody or antibody-like molecule, that binds directly to, or close by, the site responsible for the attachment or adhesion of the virus.
  • Neutralization can also be achieved by a molecule, such as an antibody or antibody-like molecule, directed to the virion surface, which results in the aggregation of virions. Neutralization can further occur by inhibition of the fusion of viral and cellular membranes following attachment of the virus to the target cell, by inhibition of endocytosis, inhibition of progeny virus from the infected cell, and the like.
  • the neutralizing molecules, such as antibodies or antibody-like molecules, of the present invention are not limited by the mechanism by which neutralization is achieved.
  • antibody repertoire is used herein in the broadest sense and refers to a collection of antibodies or antibody fragments which can be used to screen for a particular property, such as binding ability, binding specificity, ability of gastrointestinal transport, stability, affinity, and the like.
  • the term specifically includes antibody libraries, including all forms of combinatorial libraries, such as, for example, antibody phage display libraries, including, without limitation, single-chain Fv (scFv) and Fab antibody phage display libraries from any source, including na ⁇ ve, synthetic and semi-synthetic libraries.
  • a “repertoire of antibody-like molecules” refers to a collection of such molecules which can be used to screen for a particular property, such as binding ability, binding specificity, ability of gastrointestinal transport, stability, affinity, and the like.
  • the term specifically includes surrobody libraries and libraries of ⁇ -like light chain constructs (as hereinabove defined), including all forms of combinatorial libraries, such as, for example, phage display libraries.
  • Combinatorial surrobody libraries are disclosed, for example, in Xu et al., (2008), supra.
  • a “phage display library” is a protein expression library that expresses a collection of cloned protein sequences as fusions with a phage coat protein.
  • phage display library refers herein to a collection of phage (e.g., filamentous phage) wherein the phage express an external (typically heterologous) protein. The external protein is free to interact with (bind to) other moieties with which the phage are contacted.
  • Each phage displaying an external protein is a “member” of the phage display library.
  • antibody phage display library refers to a phage display library that displays antibodies or antibody fragments.
  • the antibody library includes the population of phage or a collection of vectors encoding such a population of phage, or cell(s) harboring such a collection of phage or vectors.
  • the library can be monovalent, displaying on average one single-chain antibody or antibody fragment per phage particle, or multi-valent, displaying, on average, two or more antibodies or antibody fragments per viral particle.
  • antibody fragment includes, without limitation, single-chain Fv (scFv) fragments and Fab fragments.
  • Preferred antibody libraries comprise on average more than 10 6 , or more than 10 7 , or more than 10 8 , or more than 10 9 different members.
  • filamentous phage refers to a viral particle capable of displaying a heterogenous polypeptide on its surface, and includes, without limitation, f1, fd, Pf1, and M13.
  • the filamentous phage may contain a selectable marker such as tetracycline (e.g., “fd-tet”).
  • fd-tet tetracycline
  • Various filamentous phage display systems are well known to those of skill in the art (see, e.g., Zacher et al., Gene 9:127-140 (1980), Smith et al., Science 228:1315-1317 (1985); and Parmley and Smith, Gene 73:305-318 (1988)).
  • panning is used to refer to the multiple rounds of screening process in identification and isolation of phages carrying compounds, such as antibodies, with high affinity and specificity to a target.
  • non-human animal includes, but is not limited to, mammals such as, for example, non-human primates, rodents (e.g., mice and rats), and non-rodent animals, such as, for example, rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats, cows, pigs, horses and donkeys. It also includes birds (e.g., chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and the like).
  • non-primate animal refers to mammals other than primates, including but not limited to the mammals specifically listed above.
  • the phrase “functionally different antibodies,” and grammatical variants thereof, are used to refer to antibodies that differ from each other in at least one property, including, without limitation, binding specificity, binding affinity, and any immunological or biological function, such as, for example, ability to neutralize a target, extent or quality of biological activity, etc.
  • amino acid residues are used to refer to amino acid residues that are identical between two or more amino acid sequences aligned with each other.
  • epitope refers to a sequence of at least about 3 to 5, preferably at least about 5 to 10, or at least about 5 to 15 amino acids, and typically not more than about 500, or about 1,000 amino acids, which define a sequence that by itself, or as part of a larger sequence, binds to an antibody generated in response to such sequence.
  • An epitope is not limited to a polypeptide having a sequence identical to the portion of the parent protein from which it is derived. Indeed, viral genomes are in a state of constant change and exhibit relatively high degrees of variability between isolates.
  • epitope encompasses sequences identical to the native sequence, as well as modifications, such as deletions, substitutions and/or insertions to the native sequence.
  • modifications are conservative in nature but non-conservative modifications are also contemplated.
  • the term specifically includes “mimotopes,” i.e. sequences that do not identify a continuous linear native sequence or do not necessarily occur in a native protein, but functionally mimic an epitope on a native protein.
  • epitope specifically includes linear and conformational epitopes.
  • Mutagenesis can, for example, be performed using site-directed mutagenesis (Kunkel et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:488-492 (1985)).
  • the viral antigen neutralizing molecules of the present invention are antibodies, which are typically selected using antibody libraries.
  • antibody libraries can be based on immune fragments or na ⁇ ve fragments.
  • Antibodies from immune antibody libraries are typically constructed with V H and V L gene pools that are cloned from source B cells into an appropriate vector for expression to produce a random combinatorial library, which can subsequently be selected for and/or screened.
  • Other types of libraries may be comprised of antibody fragments from a source of genes that is not explicitly biased for clones that bind to an antigen.
  • na ⁇ ve antibody libraries derive from natural, unimmunized, rearranged V genes.
  • Synthetic antibody libraries are constructed entirely by in vitro methods, introducing areas of complete or tailored degeneracy into the CDRs of one or more V genes.
  • Semi-synthetic libraries combine natural and synthetic diversity, and are often created to increase natural diversity while maintaining a desired level of functional diversity.
  • such libraries can, for example, be created by shuffling natural CDR regions (Soderlind et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 18:852-856 (2000)), or by combining naturally rearranged CDR sequences from human B cells with synthetic CDR1 and CDR2 diversity (Hoet et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 23:455-38 (2005)).
  • the present invention encompasses the use of na ⁇ ve, synthetic and semi-synthetic antibody libraries, or any combination thereof.
  • the methods of the present invention are not limited by any particular technology used for the display of antibodies.
  • antibodies of the present invention can also be identified by other display and enrichment technologies.
  • Antibody fragments have been displayed on the surface of filamentous phage that encode the antibody genes (Hoogenboom and Winter J. Mol. Biol., 222:381 388 (1992); McCafferty et al., Nature 348(6301):552 554 (1990); Griffiths et al. EMBO J, 13(14):3245-3260 (1994)).
  • Hoogenboom Hoogenboom, Nature Biotechnol. 23(9):1105-1116 (2005).
  • viral display such as retroviral display (Urban et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 33:e35 (2005), display based on protein-DNA linkage (Odegrip et al., Proc. Acad. Natl. Sci. USA 101:2806-2810 (2004); Reiersen et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 33:e10 (2005)), and microbead display (Sepp et al., FEBS Lett. 532:455-458 (2002)).
  • retroviral display Urban et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 33:e35 (2005), display based on protein-DNA linkage (Odegrip et al., Proc. Acad. Natl. Sci. USA 101:2806-2810 (2004); Reiersen et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 33:e10 (2005)
  • microbead display Sepp et al., FEBS Lett. 532:455-458 (2002).
  • the present invention concerns the selection, production and use of monoclonal antibodies and antibody-like molecules neutralizing more than one subtype and/or more than one isolate of an influenza A virus, binding to a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the virus, but not inhibiting hemagglutination.
  • HA hemagglutinin
  • the virions of influenza A virus contain 8 segments of linear negative-sense single stranded RNA.
  • the total genome length is 13600 nucleotides, and the eight segments are 2350 nucleotides; 2350 nucleotides; of 2250 nucleotides; 1780 nucleotides; 1575 nucleotides; 1420 nucleotides; 1050 nucleotides; and 900 nucleotides, respectively, in length.
  • H hemagglutinin
  • NP nucleoprotein
  • M matrix
  • NS non-structural
  • Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of influenza A viruses and their surface proteins, including hemagglutinins and neuraminidase proteins, are available from GenBank and other sequence databases, such as, for example, the Influenza Sequence Database maintained by the Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
  • the amino acid sequences of 15 known H subtypes of the influenza A virus hemagglutinin (H1-H15) are shown in U.S. Application Publication No. 20080014205, published on Jan. 17, 2008, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
  • An additional influenza A virus hemagglutinin subtype (H16) was isolated recently from black-headed gulls in Sweden, and reported by Fouchier et al., J.
  • H5 A/Hong Kong/156/97 was determined from an influenza A H5N1 virus isolated from a human in Hong Kong in May 1997, and is shown in comparison with sequences of several additional strains obtained from other related H5N1 isolates in Suarez et al., J. Virol. 72:6678-6688 (1998).
  • virus-specific antibodies resulting from the immune response of infected individuals typically neutralize the virus via interaction with the viral hemagglutinin (Ada et al., Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 128:1-54 (1986); Couch et al., Annu. Rev. Micobiol. 37:529-549 (1983)).
  • the three-dimensional structures of influenza virus hemagglutinins and crystal structures of complexes between influenza virus hemagglutinins and neutralizing antibodies have also been determined and published, see, e.g., Wilson et al., Nature 289:366-73 (1981); Ruigrok et al., J. Gen. Virol.
  • antibodies with the desired properties are identified from one or more antibody libraries, which can come from a variety of sources and can be of different types.
  • Kits for this purpose are well known and commercially available, such as, for example, BD Vacutainer® CPTTM cell preparation tubes can be used for centrifugal purification of lymphocytes, and guanidium, Trizol, or RNAlater used to stabilize the samples.
  • RT-PCR is performed to rescue heavy and light chain repertoires, using immunoglobulin oligo primers known in the art.
  • the PCR repertoire products are combined with linker oligos to generate scFv libraries to clone directly in frame with m13 pIII protein, following procedures known in the art.
  • antibodies in the human sera can be detected by well known serological assays, including, for example, by the well-known hemagglutinin inhibition (HAI) assay (Kendal, A. P., M. S. Pereira, and J. J. Skehel. 1982. Concepts and procedures for laboratory - based influenza surveillance . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga.), or the microneutralization assay (Harmon et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 26:333-337 (1988)). This detection step might not be necessary if the serum sample has already been confirmed to contain influenza neutralizing antibodies.
  • HAI hemagglutinin inhibition
  • Lymphocytes from whole blood or those present in bone marrow are next processed by methods known in the art.
  • Whole RNA is extracted by Tri BD reagent (Sigma) from fresh or RNAlater stabilized tissue. Subsequently, the isolated donor total RNA is further purified to mRNA using Oligotex purification (Qiagen).
  • Oligotex purification Qiagen
  • RNAse Block 100 ng mRNA, 0.5 mM dNTPs and 300 ng random nonamers and or 500 ng oligo (dT) 18 primers in Accuscript RT buffer (Stratagene) are incubated at 65° C. for 5 min, followed by rapid cooling to 4° C. Then, 100 mM DTT, Accuscript RT, and RNAse Block are added to each reaction and incubated at 42° C. for 1 h, and the reverse transcriptase is inactivated by heating at 70° C. for 15 minutes.
  • the cDNA obtained can be used as a template for RT-PCR amplification of the antibody heavy and light chain V genes, which can then be cloned into a vector, or, if phage display library is intended, into a phagemid vector. This procedure generates a repertoire of antibody heavy and light chain variable region clones (V H and V L libraries), which can be kept separate or combined for screening purposes.
  • Immunoglobulin repertoires from peripheral lymphocytes of survivors of earlier epidemics and pandemics, such as the 1918 Spanish Flu, can be retrieved, stabilized, and rescued in a manner similar to that described above.
  • H1 and H3 libraries repertoires can be recovered from properly timed vaccinated locally-sourced donors.
  • commercially available bone marrow total RNA or mRNA can be purchased from commercial sources to produce libraries suitable for H1 and H3, and depending upon the background of donor also suitable for H2 antibody screening.
  • the synthetic human antibody repertoire can be represented by a synthetic antibody library, which can be made by methods known in the art or obtained from commercial sources.
  • a fully synthetic human repertoire is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/864,525 filed on Sep. 28, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
  • this patent application describes libraries of immunoglobulins in which predetermined amino acids have been combinatorially introduced into one or more complementarity-determining regions of the immunoglobulin of interest.
  • a universal immunoglobulin library including subsets of such library, are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030228302 published on Dec. 11, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
  • the various Kunkel clones can be segregated by CDR lengths and/or clones lacking diversity in a targeted CDR (e.g., CDR1 or CDR3) can be removed, e.g., by digestion with template-specific restriction enzymes. Upon completion of these steps, the size of the library should exceed about 10 9 members, but libraries with lesser members are also useful.
  • both immunized antibody libraries and synthetic antibody libraries are used for identifying the neutralizing antibodies of the present invention.
  • the two types of libraries are fundamentally different.
  • the synthetic antibody libraries are synthesized collections of human antibodies with the predicted ability to bind antigens, while an immunized repertoire will contain sequences to specifically recognize avian H5 hemagglutinin, and/or H1, H2, or H3 hemagglutinin, as the case may be.
  • the immunized repertoires are theoretically optimized to recognize critical components of targeted influenza subtype(s). As a result these differences the two methods produce a different set of antibodies and thus provide a more efficient approach for identifying the desired neutralizing antibodies.
  • an antibody library is rescued from hyperimmunized non-human primates, such as, for example, macaque or baboons.
  • non-human primates are immunized with various subtypes of the influenza A virus or with various hemagglutinin (H) proteins.
  • Animals developing titers of antibody recognizing the influenza A virus subtype or hemagglutinin they were immunized with are sacrificed and their spleens harvested. Blood or bone marrow of the immunized animals is collected, and antibodies produced are collected and amplified as described above for the comprehensive influenza antibody libraries.
  • antibodies with dual specificities such as, for example, showing reactivity with two different influenza A subtypes and/or with two strains (isolates) of the same subtype, and/or with human and non-human isolates, can be discovered and optimized through controlled cross-reactive selection and/or directed combinatorial and/or mutagenic engineering.
  • a library including antibodies showing cross-reactivity to two targets are subjected to multiple rounds of enrichment (see U.S. Application Publication No. 20080014205, published on Jan. 17, 2008, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). If enrichment is based on reactivity with target A, each round of enrichment will increase the reactive strength of the pool towards target A. Similarly, if enrichment is based on reactivity with target B, each round of enrichment will increase the reactive strength of the pool towards target B.
  • Targets A and B include any targets to which antibodies bind, including but not limited to various isolates, types and sub-types of influenza viruses.
  • FIG. 2 shows the selection of antibodies with dual specificities.
  • an antibody library including antibodies showing reactivity with two targets, targets A and B is first selected for reactivity with one of the targets, e.g., target A, followed by selection for reactivity with the other target, e.g., target B.
  • Each successive selection round reinforces the reactive strength of the resulting pool towards both targets.
  • the method can be extended to identifying antibodies showing reactivity towards further targets, by including additional rounds of enrichment towards the additional target(s).
  • the library screened is a phage display library
  • selection is performed by cross-reactive panning, but other libraries and other selection methods can also be used.
  • a combination of the two methods discussed above includes two separate enrichment rounds for reactivity towards target A and target B, respectively, recombining the two pools obtained, and subsequent cross-reactive selection rounds, as described above (see U.S. Application Publication No. 20080014205, published on Jan. 17, 2008, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). This approach is illustrated in FIG. 3 . Just as in the pure cross-reactive selection, each round of selection of the recombined library increases the reactive strength of the resulting pool towards both targets.
  • a clone showing strong reactivity with a target A, and having detectable cross-reactivity with target B is identified.
  • a mutagenic library is prepared, which is then selected, in alternating rounds, for reactivity with target B and target A respectively.
  • This scheme will result in antibodies that maintain strong reactivity with target A, and have increased reactivity with target B (see U.S. Application Publication No. 20080014205, published on Jan. 17, 2008, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
  • selection is performed by panning, if the libraries screened are phage display libraries, but other libraries, other display techniques, and other selection methods can also be used, following the same strategy.
  • targets A and B can, for example, be two different subtypes of the influenza A virus, two different strains (isolates) of the same influenza A virus, subtypes or isolates from two different species, where one species is preferably human.
  • target A may be an isolate of the 2004 Vietnam isolate of the H5N1 virus
  • target B may be a 1997 Hong Kong isolate of the H5N1 virus. It is emphasized that these examples are merely illustrative, and antibodies with dual and multiple specificities to any two or multiple targets can be identified, selected and optimized in an analogous manner.
  • an antibody library such as the UAL that allows segregation of discrete frameworks and CDR lengths is used to find an antibody to target A
  • an antigen B could be screened for and the library could be restricted to a diverse collection of similar parameters. Once an antibody to antigen B is found then chimeric or mutagenic antibodies based upon the respective A and B antibodies could be used to engineer a dual specific collection.
  • the present invention utilizes phage display antibody libraries to functionally discover neutralizing monoclonal antibodies with multiple (including dual) specificities.
  • Such antibodies can, for example, be monoclonal antibodies capable of neutralizing more than one influenza A virus subtype, including the H5, H7 and/or H9 subtypes, such as the H5 and H1; H5 and H2; H5 and H3; H5, H1, and H2; H5, H1, and H3; H5, H2 and H3; H1, H2 and H3, etc., subtypes, and/or more than one strain (isolate) of the same subtype.
  • a cDNA library obtained from any source, including the libraries discussed above, is cloned into a phagemid vector.
  • the combinatorial library will contain about more than 10 6 , or more than 10 7 , or more than 10 8 , or more than 10 9 different members, more than 10 7 different members or above being preferred.
  • For quality control random clones are sequenced to assess overall repertoire complexity.
  • the PCR products are combined with linker oligos to generate scFv libraries to clone directly in frame with M13 pIII coat protein.
  • the library will contain about more than 10 6 , or more than 10 7 , or more than 10 8 , or more than 10 9 different members, more than 10 7 different members or above being preferred.
  • random clones are sequenced in order to assess overall repertoire size and complexity.
  • Antibody phage display libraries may contain antibodies in various formats, such as in a single-chain Fv (scFv) or Fab format.
  • scFv single-chain Fv
  • Fab Fab format
  • Hemagglutinin (HA) proteins can be produced by recombinant DNA technology.
  • HA genes are cloned into an appropriate vector, preferably a baculovirus expression vector for expression in baculovirus-infected insect cells, such as Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells.
  • the nucleic acid coding for the HA protein is inserted into a baculovirus expression vector, such as Bac-to-Bac (Invitrogen), with or without a C-terminal epitope tag, such as a poly-his (hexahistidine tag).
  • a poly-his tag provides for easy purification by nickel chelate chromatography.
  • the cloning involves making reference cDNAs by assembly PCR from individually synthesized oligos.
  • Corresponding isolate variant HA proteins are made by either substituting appropriate mutant oligos into additional assembly PCRs or by mutagenesis techniques, such as by Kunkel mutagenesis.
  • reference proteins are generated for 1918 Spanish flu (H1), 1958 Asian Flu (H2), 1968 Hong Kong Flu (H3), and current H1, H2, H3 isolates.
  • Recombinant baculovirus is generated by transfecting the above Bacmid into Sf9 cells (ATCC CRL 1711) using lipofectin (commercially available from Gibco-BRL). After 4-5 days of incubation at 28° C., the released viruses are harvested and used for further amplifications. Viral infection and protein expression are performed as described by O'Reilley et al., Baculovirus Expression Vectors: A Laboratory Manual (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994).
  • Expressed poly-His-tagged HA polypeptides can then be purified, for example, by Ni 2+ -chelate affinity chromatography as follows. Supernatants are collected from recombinant virus-infected Sf9 cells as described by Rupert et al., Nature 362:175-179 (1993). A Ni 2+ -NTA agarose column (commercially available from Qiagen) is prepared with a bed volume of 5 mL, washed with 25 mL of water, and equilibrated with 25 mL of loading buffer. The filtered cell extract is loaded onto the column at 0.5 mL per minute. The column is washed to baseline A 280 with loading buffer, at which point fraction collection is started.
  • the column is washed with a secondary wash buffer (50 mM phosphate; 300 mM NaCl, 10% glycerol, pH 6.0), which elutes non-specifically bound protein.
  • a secondary wash buffer 50 mM phosphate; 300 mM NaCl, 10% glycerol, pH 6.0
  • the column is developed with a 0 to 500 mM imidazole gradient in the secondary wash buffer.
  • One-mL fractions are collected and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and silver staining or Western blot with Ni 2+ -NTA-conjugated to alkaline phosphatase (Qiagen). Fractions containing the eluted His 10 -tagged HA polypeptide are pooled and dialyzed against loading buffer.
  • purification of an IgG-tagged (or Fc-tagged) HA polypeptide can be performed using known chromatography techniques, including, for instance, Protein A or protein G column chromatography.
  • HA proteins can also be produced in other recombinant host cells, prokaryote, yeast, or higher eukaryote cells.
  • Suitable prokaryotes include but are not limited to eubacteria, such as Gram-negative or Gram-positive organisms, for example, Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia , e.g., E. coli, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella , e.g., Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia , e.g., Serratia marcescans , and Shigella , as well as Bacilli such as B. subtilis and B.
  • Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia , e.g., E. coli, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Proteus
  • Salmonella e.g., Salmonella typhimurium
  • Serratia e.g.
  • E. coli K12 strain MM294 ATCC 31,446
  • E. coli X1776 ATCC 31,537
  • E. coli strain W3110 ATCC 27,325)
  • K5 772 ATCC 53,635
  • eukaryotic microbes such as filamentous fungi or yeast are suitable cloning or expression hosts for vectors containing nucleic acid encoding an HA polypeptide.
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a commonly used lower eukaryotic host microorganism.
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Beach and Nurse, Nature 290: 140 (1981); EP 139,383 published 2 May 1985
  • Kluyveromyces hosts U.S. Pat. No.
  • Aspergillus hosts such as A. nidulans (Ballance et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 112:284-289 (1983); Tilburn et al., Gene 26:205-221 (1983); Yelton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1470-1474 (1984)) and A. niger Kelly and Hynes, EMBO J. 4:475-479 (1985).
  • A. nidulans Boallance et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 112:284-289 (1983); Tilburn et al., Gene 26:205-221 (1983); Yelton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:1470-1474 (1984)
  • A. niger Kelly and Hynes EMBO J. 4:475-479 (1985).
  • Methylotropic yeasts are suitable herein and include, but are not limited to, yeast capable of growth on methanol selected from the genera consisting of Hansenula, Candida, Kloeckera, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Torulopsis , and Rhodotorula .
  • yeast capable of growth on methanol selected from the genera consisting of Hansenula, Candida, Kloeckera, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Torulopsis , and Rhodotorula .
  • a list of specific species that are exemplary of this class of yeasts may be found in C. Anthony, The Biochemistry of Methylotrophs 269 (1982).
  • Suitable host cells for the expression of HA proteins include cells of multicellular organisms.
  • invertebrate cells include the above-mentioned insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9, as well as plant cells.
  • useful mammalian host cell lines include Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and COS cells. More specific examples include monkey kidney CV1 line transformed by SV40 (COS-7, ATCC CRL 1651); human embryonic kidney line (HEK 293 or HEK 293 cells subcloned for growth in suspension culture (Graham et al., J. Gen Virol. 36:59 (1977)); Chinese hamster ovary cells/ ⁇ DHFR (CHO, Urlaub and Chasin, Proc. Natl. Acad.
  • mice sertoli cells TM4, Mather, Biol. Reprod. 23:243-251 (1980)
  • human lung cells WI 38, ATCC CCL 75
  • human liver cells Hep G2, HB 8065
  • mouse mammary tumor MMT 060562, ATCC CCL51. The selection of the appropriate host cell is deemed to be within the skill in the art.
  • HA protein is immobilized on to the surface of microtiter wells or magnetic beads to pan the described above libraries.
  • each library is allowed to bind the H5 protein at 4 degrees for two hours and then washed extensively with cold PBS, before eluting HA specific binding clones with 0.2M glycine-HC1 buffer (pH2.5).
  • the recovered phage is pH neutralized and amplified by infecting a susceptible host E. coli .
  • phagemid production can be induced to repeat the enrichment of positive clones and subsequent clones isolation for triage. Upon sufficient enrichment the entire pool is transferred by infection into a non amber suppressor E.
  • coli strain such as HB2151 to express soluble scFv proteins.
  • pool(s) could be subcloned into a monomeric scFv expression vector, such as pBAD, and recombinant soluble scFv proteins are expressed for in vitro analysis and characterization, as described below.
  • H5 clones are first tested for binding affinity to an H5 protein produced as described above.
  • binding is tested to a 2004 H5 protein (Refseq AAS65618, Isolate; A/Thailand/2(SP-33)/2004(H5N1)), and in parallel test to a 1997 H5 protein (Refseq AAF74331, Isolate; A/Hong Kong/486/97(H5N1)), but other isolates can also be used alone or in any combination.
  • the positive clones obtained with the 2004 and the 1997 H5 proteins will fall into two broad categories: 2004 selective and 2004/1997 nonselective.
  • the typical functional test for neutralization involves hemagglutination inhibition assays using whole virus binding to red blood cells.
  • the hemagglutinin binding inhibition assay can be preformed on airway epithelial cells.
  • the binding assay can be performed in any configuration, including, without limitation, any flow cytometric or cell ELISA (cELISA) based assays.
  • cELISA flow cytometric or cell ELISA
  • Using cELISA is advantageous in that it obviates the use of expensive flow cytometry equipment and can provide for more automated clonal assessment and greater data collection.
  • flow cytometry may provide greater sensitivity, consistency, and speed.
  • H1 clones can be tested for binding to any H1 proteins, including binding to the current 2004 H1 and, in parallel, for binding to 1918 and 1976 proteins.
  • the positive clones will fall into two broad categories: 2004 selective and 2004 nonselective. Once again it is critical to test for neutralization, using methodologies similar to those described above.
  • HA proteins such as H2, H3, H5, H6, H7, H8 and H9, can be characterized in an analogous manner.
  • the antibodies of the present invention have a binding affinity for an H2, H3, H5, H6, H7, H8, or H9 HA containing influenza virus or an H1 HA containing influenza virus, such as, for example, H1/H3, H1/H5, etc.
  • Binding affinities of the antibodies of the present invention can be determined by methods known to those of skill in the art, for example by the Scatchard analysis of Munson et al., Anal. Biochem., 107:220 (1980).
  • the binding affinity of the antibody is from about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 7 to about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 13 M, from about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 8 to about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 12 M, or from about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 9 to about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 11 M.
  • the binding affinity of the antibody is about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 7 M, about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 8 M, about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 9 M, about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 10 M, about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 11 M, about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 12 M, or about 1 ⁇ 10 ⁇ 13 M.
  • an antibody of the present invention demonstrated a binding affinity of 13 ⁇ M for an H5 HA (Vietnam/1203/04) containing influenza virus (see antibodies from survivor 2 in the Example below).
  • Another antibody demonstrated a binding affinity of single digit nM for an H5 HA (Vietnam/1203/04) containing influenza virus (see antibodies from survivor 5 in the Example below).
  • H5 avian
  • H5 human infections caused by an avian
  • antibodies that effectively neutralize current isolates of the H proteins, such as the H5 protein, as well as future mutations, are needed.
  • diverse H e.g., H5 neutralizing clones need to be identified that bind all known isolates of the targeted hemagglutinin subtype(s).
  • cross-reactivity can be further improved by methods known in the art, such as, for example, by Look Through Mutagenesis (LTM), as described in US. Patent Application Publication No. 20050136428, published Jun. 23, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
  • LTM Look Through Mutagenesis
  • LTM Look-through mutagenesis
  • CDR complementarity determining region
  • combinatorial libraries (combinatorial beneficial mutations, CBMs) expressing all beneficial permutations can be produced by mixed DNA probes, positively selected, and analyzed to identify a panel of optimized scFv candidates. The procedure can be performed in a similar manner with Fv and other antibody libraries.
  • Mutagenesis can also be performed by walk-through mutagenesis (WTM), as described above.
  • WTM walk-through mutagenesis
  • Destinational mutagenesis can be used to rationally engineer a collection of antibodies based upon one or more antibody clones, preferably of differing reactivities.
  • destinational mutagenesis is used to encode single or multiple residues defined by analogous positions on like sequences such as those in the individual CDRs of antibodies. In this case, these collections are generated using oligo degeneracy to capture the range of residues found in the comparable positions.
  • the objective of destinational mutagenesis is to generate diverse multifunctional antibody collections, or libraries, between two or more discrete entities or collections.
  • this method can be utilized to use two antibodies that recognize two distinct epitopes, isolates, or subtypes and morph both functional qualities into a single antibody.
  • a first influenza A antibody can be specific to a Vietnam isolate of the H5 subtype and a second antibody is specific to a Thailand or Vietnamese isolate of the H5 subtype of the influenza A virus.
  • the CDR sequences for both antibodies are first attained and aligned.
  • the degenerate codon with A/G-C- in the first two positions would only encode threonine or alanine, irrespective of the base in the third position. If, for example, the next position residues are lysine and arginine the degenerate codon A-A/G-A/G will only encode lysine or arginine. However, if the degenerate codon A/C-A/G-A/G/C/T were used then asparagine, histidine, glutamine, and serine coproducts will be generated as well.
  • FIG. 5 is included herein to illustrate the use of the destinational mutagenesis method using CDRs of a TNF- ⁇ antibody and a CD11a antibody as the parental sequences mutagenized.
  • exemplary mutagenesis methods include targeted random mutagenesis, saturation mutagenesis and error prone PCR.
  • Targeted random mutagenesis using ambiguously synthesized oligonucleotides is a technique that generates an intended codon as well as all possible codons at specific ratios, with respect to each other, at designated positions.
  • Ambiguously synthesized oligonucleotides result in the reduced accuracy of nucleotide addition by the specific addition of non “wild type” bases at designated positions, or codons. This is typically performed by fixing the ratios of wild type and non wild type bases in the oligonucleotide synthesizer and designating the mixture of the two reagents at the time of synthesis.
  • Saturation mutagenesis (Hayashi et al., Biotechniques 17:310-315 (1994)) is a technique in which all 20 amino acids are substituted in a particular position in a protein and clones corresponding to each variant are assayed for a particular phenotype. (See, also U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,171,820; 6,358,709 and 6,361,974.)
  • Error prone PCR (Leung et al., Technique 1:11-15 (1989); Cadwell and Joyce, PCR Method Applic. 2:28-33 (1992)) is a modified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique introducing random point mutations into cloned genes.
  • PCR polymerase chain reaction
  • the resulting PCR products can be cloned to produce random mutant libraries or transcribed directly if a T7 promoter is incorporated within the appropriate PCR primer.
  • one of the main goals is to engineer an antibody (or antibodies) to effectively treat current H5 (or H7 or H9) isolates as well as future mutations.
  • H5 neutralizing clones that bind a variety of H5 isolates including, for example, both recent 2004 isolates and previous 1997 isolates are to be identified. It is expected that if a clone is selected on a 2004 isolate it will bind/neutralize a 1997 isolate to a lesser degree.
  • the goal is to improve 1997 recognition dramatically within the context of improving (or at least maintaining) 2004 isolate binding. Therefore, selection is first done for improvements on 1997 reference protein followed by selection on the 2004 protein. Doing so provides a greater selective pressure on the new strain, while maintaining pressure on the second parameter.
  • optimization can be based on any of the libraries discussed above, or any other types of libraries known in the art, alone or in any combination.
  • optimization can begin by screening three types of LTM libraries; triple mutagenized light chain library, triple mutagenized heavy chain library, and hextuple mutagenized (light+heavy chain) library.
  • H5 is panned essentially as described above, although minor modifications might be desirable. For example, prior to glycine-HCl elution one can select for improved binding by increasing washing stringencies at each round by either or both of the following methods: extensive washing at RT or 37 degrees, or prolonged incubation in presence of excess soluble parent scFv. These selection modifications should improve off-rate kinetics in the resulting clones.
  • CBM combinatorial beneficial mutagenesis
  • H1 neutralizing antibodies can be optimized in an analogous manner. In this case one can select and optimize using any reference protein sequences from 1918, 1976, and current as either a starting point or destination.
  • intertype recognition is tested with the neutralizing antibody clones.
  • An example of intertype recognition is coincidental or engineered H1 binding from an H5 sourced or optimized clone.
  • antibody libraries such as libraries from various donors or characterized by reactivity to different isolates of subtypes of a virus, including but not limited to influenza viruses
  • the handling of antibody libraries can be greatly facilitated by applying unique barcodes distinguishing the various antibody collections.
  • the barcodes preferably are selected such that they are capable of propagating along with the clone(s) labeled.
  • the barcodes can be non-coding DNA sequences of about 1-24 non-coding nucleotides in length that can be deconvoluted by sequencing or specific PCR primers. This way, a collection of nucleic acids, such as an antibody repertoire, can be linked at the cloning step.
  • the barcodes are coding sequences of silent mutations. If the libraries utilize restriction enzymes that recognize interrupted palidromes (e.g. Sfi GGCCNNNNNGGCC), distinct nucleotides can be incorporated in place of the “N's” to distinguish various collections of clones, such as antibody libraries. This barcoding approach has the advantage that the repertoire is linked at the amplification step.
  • the barcodes are coding sequences that encode immunologically distinct peptide or protein sequences fused to phage particles.
  • examples include, for example, epitope (e.g. Myc, HA, FLAG) fusions to pIII, pVIII, pVII, or pIX phages.
  • epitopes can be used singly or in various combinations, and can be provided in cis (on the library-encoding plasmid) or in trans (specifically modified helper phage) configuration.
  • barcodes include, without limitation, chemical and enzymatic phage modifications (for phage libraries) with haptens or fluorescent chromophores. Such tags are preferred for a single round of selection.
  • Epitope mapping concerns the identification of the epitope to which an antibody binds.
  • An antibody binds “essentially the same epitope” as a reference antibody, when the two antibodies recognize epitopes that are identical or sterically overlapping epitopes.
  • a commonly used method for determining whether two antibodies bind to identical or sterically overlapping epitopes is the competition assay, which can be configured in all number of different formats, using either labeled antigen or labeled antibody.
  • an antigen is immobilized on a 96-well plate, and the ability of unlabeled antibodies to block the binding of labeled antibodies is measured using radioactive or enzyme labels.
  • antibodies with the desired neutralizing properties can be produced by methods well known in the art, including, for example, hybridoma techniques or recombinant DNA technology.
  • a mouse or other appropriate host animal such as a hamster
  • lymphocytes that produce or are capable of producing antibodies that will specifically bind to the protein used for immunization.
  • lymphocytes may be immunized in vitro. Lymphocytes then are fused with myeloma cells using a suitable fusing agent, such as polyethylene glycol, to form a hybridoma cell (Goding, Monoclonal Antibodies: Principles and Practice, pp. 59-103 (Academic Press, 1986)).
  • the hybridoma cells thus prepared are seeded and grown in a suitable culture medium that preferably contains one or more substances that inhibit the growth or survival of the unfused, parental myeloma cells.
  • a suitable culture medium that preferably contains one or more substances that inhibit the growth or survival of the unfused, parental myeloma cells.
  • the culture medium for the hybridomas typically will include hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine (HAT medium), which substances prevent the growth of HGPRT-deficient cells.
  • Preferred myeloma cells are those that fuse efficiently, support stable high-level production of antibody by the selected antibody-producing cells, and are sensitive to a medium such as HAT medium.
  • preferred myeloma cell lines are murine myeloma lines, such as those derived from MOPC-21 and MPC-11 mouse tumors available from the Salk Institute Cell Distribution Center, San Diego, Calif. USA, and SP-2 or X63-Ag8-653 cells available from the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Md. USA.
  • Human myeloma and mouse-human heteromyeloma cell lines also have been described for the production of human monoclonal antibodies (Kozbor, J. Immunol. 133:3001 (1984); and Brodeur et al., Monoclonal Antibody Production Techniques and Applications, pp. 51-63 (Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1987)).
  • Culture medium in which hybridoma cells are growing is assayed for production of monoclonal antibodies directed against the antigen.
  • the binding specificity of monoclonal antibodies produced by hybridoma cells is determined by immunoprecipitation or by an in vitro binding assay, such as radioimmunoassay, (RIA) or enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA).
  • RIA radioimmunoassay
  • ELISA enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay
  • Recombinant monoclonal antibodies can, for example, be produced by isolating the DNA encoding the required antibody chains and co-transfecting a recombinant host cell with the coding sequences for co-expression, using well known recombinant expression vectors.
  • Recombinant host cells can be prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, such as those described above.
  • human variable domains both light and heavy
  • the choice of human variable domains, both light and heavy, to be used in making the humanized antibodies is very important to reduce antigenicity.
  • the sequence of the variable domain of a rodent antibody is screened against the entire library of known human variable-domain sequences.
  • the human sequence which is closest to that of the rodent is then accepted as the human framework region (FR) for the humanized antibody (Sims et al., J. Immunol. 151:2296 (1993); Chothia et al., J. Mol. Biol. 196:901 (1987)).
  • FR human framework region
  • humanized antibodies are prepared by a process of analysis of the parental sequences and various conceptual humanized products using three-dimensional models of the parental and humanized sequences.
  • human antibodies can be generated following methods known in the art.
  • transgenic animals e.g., mice
  • transgenic animals e.g., mice
  • transgenic animals e.g., mice
  • transgenic animals e.g., mice
  • Jakobovits et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:2551 (1993); Jakobovits et al., Nature 362:255-258 (1993); Bruggermann et al., Year in Immuno. 7:33 (1993); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,669, 5,589,369 and 5,545,807.
  • the present invention provides neutralizing antibodies that bind to a hemagglutinin protein epitope.
  • the neutralizing antibody binds to at least one epitope on the HA1 subunit of the hemagglutinin protein.
  • the neutralizing antibody binds to at least two, at least three, at least four, at least five, or at least six epitopes on the HA1 subunit of the hemagglutinin protein.
  • the neutralizing antibody of the present invention binds to an epitope that is substantially the same as the epitope for (i) an antibody comprising a heavy chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 4 and a light chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:71 (antibody 1 in the Example below and as shown in Table 1); (ii) an antibody comprising a heavy chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:45 and a light chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:140 (antibody 2 in the Example below and as shown in Table 1); (iii) an antibody comprising a heavy chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:9 and a light chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:81 (antibody 3 in the Examples below and as shown in Table 1); (iv) an antibody comprising a heavy chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:61 and a light chain amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:158 (antibody 4 in the Example below and as shown in Table 1); or (v) an antibody
  • the antibodies of the present invention neutralize viruses containing H5 and/or H1. In other embodiments, the antibodies neutralize both H5 and H1. In one embodiment, the antibodies of the present invention do not prevent hemagglutination. In other embodiments, the antibodies do not prevent the binding of an influenza A virus to a target cell to be infected. In another embodiment, the anti-hemagglutinin antibody does not prevent the receptor binding site on the globular head region of the HA of an influenza A virus from attaching to a target cell to allow hemagglutinin activity of HA to occur.
  • H5 anti-hemagglutinin antibody heavy chain/light chain pairings were identified.
  • column 1 provides the heavy chain amino acid sequence
  • column 2 provides the corresponding SEQ ID NO: for the heavy chain sequence
  • column 3 provides the amino acid sequence for those light chains that pair with the heavy chains in the same row
  • column 4 provides the corresponding SEQ ID NOS: for the light chain sequence.
  • the heavy chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:1 pairs with the light chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:68
  • SEQ ID NO:2 pairs with SEQ ID NO:69, etc.
  • a heavy chain can pair with more than one light chain.
  • the heavy chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:6 pairs with either the light chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:74 or the light chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:75; or the heavy chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:7 pairs with one of (i) the light chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:75, (ii) the light chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:76, or (iii) the light chain sequence shown as SEQ ID NO:77.
  • the neutralizing antibodies of the present invention contain at least one heavy chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence shown in Table 2, and/or at least one light chain polypeptide containing an amino acid sequence shown in Table 2.
  • influenza neutralizing antibodies of the present invention can be used for the prevention and/or treatment of influenza type A infections.
  • the antibodies or other molecules, the delivery of which is facilitated by using the antibodies or antibody-based transport sequences are usually used in the form of pharmaceutical compositions.
  • Techniques and formulations generally may be found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18th Edition, Mack Publishing Co. (Easton, Pa. 1990). See also, Wang and Hanson “Parenteral Formulations of Proteins and Peptides: Stability and Stabilizers,” Journal of Parenteral Science and Technology, Technical Report No. 10, Supp. 42-2S (1988).
  • Antibodies are typically formulated in the form of lyophilized formulations or aqueous solutions.
  • Acceptable carriers, excipients, or stabilizers are nontoxic to recipients at the dosages and concentrations employed, and include buffers such as phosphate, citrate, and other organic acids; antioxidants including ascorbic acid and methionine; preservatives (such as octadecyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride; hexamethonium chloride; benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride; phenol, butyl or benzyl alcohol; alkyl parabens such as methyl or propyl paraben; catechol; resorcinol; cyclohexanol; 3-pentanol; and m-cresol); low molecular weight (less than about 10 residues) polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, or immunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrol
  • the antibodies also may be entrapped in microcapsules prepared, for example, by coacervation techniques or by interfacial polymerization (for example, hydroxymethylcellulose or gelatin-microcapsules and poly-(methylmethacylate) microcapsules, respectively), in colloidal drug delivery systems (for example, liposomes, albumin microspheres, microemulsions, nano-particles and nanocapsules), or in macroemulsions.
  • coacervation techniques for example, hydroxymethylcellulose or gelatin-microcapsules and poly-(methylmethacylate) microcapsules, respectively
  • colloidal drug delivery systems for example, liposomes, albumin microspheres, microemulsions, nano-particles and nanocapsules
  • the neutralizing antibodies disclosed herein may also be formulated as immunoliposomes.
  • Liposomes containing the antibody are prepared by methods known in the art, such as described in Epstein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:3688 (1985); Hwang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:4030 (1980); U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,045 and 4,544,545; and WO97/38731 published Oct. 23, 1997. Liposomes with enhanced circulation time are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,556.
  • Particularly useful liposomes can be generated by the reverse phase evaporation method with a lipid composition comprising phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and PEG-derivatized phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE). Liposomes are extruded through filters of defined pore size to yield liposomes with the desired diameter.
  • Fab′ fragments of the antibody of the present invention can be conjugated to the liposomes as described in Martin et al. J. Biol. Chem. 257:286-288 (1982) via a disulfide interchange reaction. A chemotherapeutic agent is optionally contained within the liposome. See Gabizon et al. J National Cancer Inst. 81(19)1484 (1989).
  • the appropriate dosage of antibody will depend on the type of infection to be treated the severity and course of the disease, and whether the antibody is administered for preventive or therapeutic purposes.
  • the antibody is suitably administered to the patient at one time or over a series of treatments.
  • about 1 ⁇ g/kg to about 15 mg/kg of antibody is a typical initial candidate dosage for administration to the patient, whether, for example, by one or more separate administrations, or by continuous infusion.
  • the neutralizing antibodies of the present invention can be additionally used as a tool for epitope mapping of antigenic determinants of an influenza A virus, and are useful in vaccine development. Indeed, as shown in the Example below, the inventors herein have identified several broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies that can be used as guides for vaccine design.
  • the neutralizing antibodies of the present invention can be used to select peptides or polypeptides that functionally mimic the neutralization epitopes to which the antibodies bind, which, in turn, can be developed into vaccines against influenza A virus infection.
  • the present invention provides a vaccine effective against an influenza A virus comprising a peptide or polypeptide that functionally mimics a neutralization epitope bound by an antibody described herein.
  • the vaccine comprises a peptide or polypeptide functionally mimicking a neutralization epitope bound by an antibody that binds a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen.
  • the vaccine may be synthetic.
  • the vaccine may comprise (i) an attenuated influenza A virus, or a part thereof; or (ii) a killed influenza A virus, or part thereof.
  • the vaccine comprises a peptide or polypeptide functionally mimicking a neutralization epitope bound by an antibody that binds a hemagglutinin (HA) antigen.
  • the HA antigen may be an H5 subtype or an H1 subtype.
  • the HA antigen is displayed on the surface of an influenza A virus.
  • the peptides or polypeptides of the vaccine contain antigenic determinants that raise influenza A virus neutralizing antibodies.
  • the neutralizing molecules are useful to prevent or treat viral infections.
  • the neutralizing molecules of the present invention are useful in both immunotherapy, such as passive immunization using one or more such molecules, and in the development of vaccines directed at the viral antigenic target(s).
  • a cluster of antibody residues important for neutralizing properties have been identified.
  • antibodies comprising an antibody heavy chain variable domain comprising at least one substitution in the surface exposed cluster determined by amino acid positions 52A, 53, 73, and 74, following Kabat amino acid numbering have excellent neutralizing properties, including but not limited to neutralization of influenza viruses.
  • 52A Pro ⁇ Gly
  • 53 Ile ⁇ Met
  • 73 Lys ⁇ Glu
  • 74 Ser ⁇ Leu or Met
  • An additional mutation important for neutralizing properties, 57 is partially buried at the base of the CDR2 loop.
  • the surface-exposed changes in CDR 2 and framework 3 are believed to have a direct role in antigen binding, where the less exposed mutation at position 57 and some additional mutations are likely have indirect effects through stabilizing and/or positioning of the CDR2 loop.
  • Such additional mutations include conservative changes in CDR1 at position 34 (Ile ⁇ Val) and 35 (Ser ⁇ Thr) and also in CDR2 at position 50 (Gly ⁇ Ala). These mutations are believed to be important broadly for viral neutralizing properties, including, without limitation, neutralization of influenza A viruses, such as H5 HA, as well as HIV viruses.
  • Vaccine development and the development of neutralizing antibodies with improved properties can additionally benefit from the combinatorial libraries of conformationally constrained polypeptide sequence described in PCT Application Publication No. WO 2008/089073, published on Jul. 24, 2008.
  • pre-B cell receptor pre-B cell receptor
  • surrobody libraries unique combinatorial protein libraries based on the pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) (“surrobody libraries”) are described in Xu et al., 2008, supra.
  • pre-BCR pre-B cell receptor
  • the pre-BCR subunit is a trimer that is composed of an antibody heavy chain paired with two surrogate light chain (SLC) components.
  • Combinatorial libraries based on these pre-BCR proteins in which diverse heavy chains are paired with a fixed SLC were expressed in mammalian, Escherichia coli , and phagemid systems. These libraries contain members that have nanomolar affinity for a target antigen. A description of the library construction, selective enrichment, and biophysical characterization of library members is detailed in the Materials and Methods section of the Xu et al. paper.
  • H5N1 influenza viruses The widespread incidence of H5N1 influenza viruses in bird populations poses risks to human health. Even though the virus has not yet adapted for facile transmission between humans, it can cause severe disease and often death.
  • combinatorial antibody libraries from the bone marrow of five survivors of the recent H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Turkey. To date, these libraries have yielded >300 unique antibodies against H5N1 viral antigens.
  • these antibodies we have identified several broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies that could be used for passive immunization against H5N1 virus or as guides for vaccine design. The large number of antibodies obtained from these survivors provides a detailed immunochemical analysis of individual human solutions to virus neutralization in the setting of an actual virulent influenza outbreak. Remarkably, two of these antibodies neutralized both H1 and H5 subtype influenza viruses.
  • antibody recovery is independent of whether an active antibody response is still occurring at the time the sample is taken.
  • antibodies that are currently being made and/or are part of the individual's immunological history For infections that may be lethal, such analyses carried out on surviving patients may be particularly important because they chart some of the immunological mechanisms used during a successful host defense in the actual clinical setting of an outbreak.
  • the hemagglutinin protein is essential for binding the influenza virus to the cell that is being infected and is generally considered to be the main target of neutralizing antibodies (Palese, P. & Shaw, M. L. In Fields Virology, Vol. 11 (Eds. Knipe, D M and Howley, P. M.) Lippencott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2006, 1648-1689) (2008) (World Health Organization, Geneva)). Therefore, we tested by ELISA each of the individual serum samples at high serum dilutions for the detection of antibodies against H5 hemagglutinin proteins ( FIG. 8 ) and intact viruses (data not shown). This analysis showed that the patients had readily detectable serum antibodies, even when diluted 10,000-fold. We selected the Vietnam/1203/04 hemagglutinin as a target because it was readily available and is thought to be related to the influenza virus strain that caused the outbreak of disease in Turkey.
  • a unique DNA bar code was embedded into a non-disruptive portion of the phagemid vector to allow each clone to be tracked back to the original patient source ( FIG. 9 ).
  • This bar coding allows assignment of clones to individual patients even when phage libraries from multiple survivors are screened simultaneously. As a result of this tagging, every clone isolated from any library can be confidently attributed to the cognate survivor.
  • cloning and barcoding of annotated repertoires allows tracking of all clones to their sources.
  • Each survivor is assigned a unique barcoded vector and immunoglobulin repertoires are cloned via restriction sites indicated in the upper panel. Plasmids from any clone can be assigned to designated sub-libraries via their light chain class and their survivor barcode.
  • Table 3 shows the light chain and full library total transformants in both scFv and Fab formats. Total diversity represented by all libraries is 5.6 ⁇ 10 9 .
  • the libraries were panned against inactivated virus containing the Vietnam/1203/04 virus HA and NA proteins and recombinant purified hemagglutinin (Barbas, C. et al. (2001) Phage Display, A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press)).
  • individual clones from enriched phage pools were analyzed by ELISA against H5N1 virus or purified hemagglutinin and the positive clones were sequenced to determine their heavy and light chain sequences and to read their survivor bar code (D. W. Coomber, Methods Mol Biol 178, 133 (2002)).
  • FIG. 6 shows the cross-reactivity of H5N1 antibodies from two survivors with hemagglutinins from H1N1 viruses.
  • Bars are H5N1 Vietnam 1203/04 (dark grey), H5N1 Turkey/65596/06 (white), H5N1 Indonesia/5/05 (diagonal stripes), H1N1 New Calcdonia/20/99 (vertical stripes), H1N1 South Carolina/1/18 (crosshatch stripes), and H3N2 Wisconsin/67/05 (light gray).
  • the antibodies were assayed for their ability to neutralize an H5 HA (Vietnam/1203/04) containing influenza virus.
  • One antibody derived from survivor 2 and 3 from survivor 5 that recognized a common epitope (epitope “A”) were all neutralizing whereas the two antibodies derived from survivor 1 that recognized a second epitope (epitope “B”) were not.
  • a collection of viruses bearing H5 subtype hemagglutinin was also tested (A/Vn/1203/04; A/Indo/5/05; A/Turkey/65596/06; A/Egypt/06).
  • the antibodies showed no activity against H3 subtype influenza.
  • three of the monoclonal antibodies (1-3) that neutralized H5 containing viruses also strongly neutralized all viruses bearing HA from subtypes H1 (Table 4).
  • MDCK cells were inoculated with 100 TCID50 of virus in the presence of 2-fold serial dilutions of monoclonal antibodies. ⁇ Minimum inhibitory concentrations required to neutralize virus in duplicate samples are presented in ug/ml. ⁇ - The viral neutralization results from two independent experiments are both shown. ⁇ Mab#8 is a mouse monoclonal H5N1 neutralizing antibody raised against A/Vietnam/1203/04.
  • ⁇ Minimum inhibitory concentrations required to neutralize virus in duplicate samples are presented in ug/ml.
  • ⁇ The viral neutralization results from two independent experiments are both shown.
  • ⁇ Meb#8 is a mouse monoclonal H5N1 neutralizing antibody raised against A/Vietnam/1203/04.
  • Immunochemical basis of neutralization One advantage of antibody libraries is that when one obtains large numbers of antibodies, they can be grouped as to their relatedness. Thus, when a function for a given antibody in the collection is observed one can predict that other members of the group to which it belongs will have similar activity.
  • Table 5 shows example sequences displaying the immunochemical basis of neutralization discovered from Survivor 5 libraries following H5N1 Vietnam panning.
  • Requisite mutations are shown in bolded, underlined text (column 5—PI to GM and A to T; column 6—KS to EL or EM or XL) and predominant mutations are shown in italicized, underlined text (column 2—A to T; column 3—IS to VT; column 5—G to A; column 8—K to Q or R).
  • Heavy chains sequences also discovered in H1N1 New Calcdonia panning are highlighted in gray. Antibody regions and Kabat numbering ranges are listed at the top of each sequence column.
  • the heavy chain/light chain pairing is indicated in the first column as follows: *—paired with 2 unique light chains, ⁇ —paired with 3 unique light chains, ⁇ —paired with 4 unique light chains, ⁇ —paired with 5 unique light chains, and ⁇ —paired with 12 unique light chains.
  • Table 6 shows examples of sequences displaying the Immunochemical basis of neutralization discovered from Survivor 5 libraries following H1N1 New Calcdonia panning.
  • FIG. 7 shows the positions of the required mutations in the structure of the antibody superimposed on the crystal structure of a highly related anti-HIV Fab called 47e (1rzi.pdb) (Huang, C. C. et al. (2004) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 101, 2706-2711).
  • FIG. 7 shows the positions of H5 hemagglutinin binding Group 1 required and dominant mutations on the crystal structure of Fab 47e.
  • the required mutations are shown as G52 (52A (Pro>Gly)), M53 (Ile>Met), T57 (Ala>Thr), E73 (Lys>Glu) and LM74 (Ser>Leu or Met).
  • the dominant mutations are shown as T24 (Ala>Thr), V34 (Ile>Val), T35 (Ser>Thr), and A50 (Gly>Ala).
  • the required and dominant Group1 heavy chain sequences identified in H5 Vietnam/1203/2004 HA biopanning are superimposed on the crystal structure of the highly related anti-HIV Fab 47e. Mutations are shown in both backbone (top) and space-filling (bottom) models. A tight cluster is formed by four of the required mutations in and adjacent to CDR2.
  • the required mutations 52A Pro>Gly
  • 53 Ile>Met
  • 73 Lithys>Glu
  • 74 Ser>Leu or Met
  • the remaining required mutation 57 is partially buried at the base of the CDR2 loop.
  • the surface exposed changes in CDR 2 and framework 3 are likely to have a direct role in antigen binding while the less exposed required mutation and the non-essential dominant mutations may have indirect effects through stabilizing and/or positioning the CDR2 loop.
  • the antibodies from survivor 2 are comprised of 2 unique heavy chains that most closely resemble the V H 4-4b germ line heavy chain (Table 7).
  • the first heavy chain has been found paired with 5 unique lambda light chains, four of which are from the infrequently used lambda 6 light chain family and the other is paired with a single kappa light chain.
  • Antibody 4 whose neutralization profile was more restricted came from this group.
  • Table 8A-8B codon usage of individual clones shows independent origin of selected H5 HA binding clones.
  • Table 8A corresponds to CDR2 and Table 8B corresponds to Framework 3.
  • Germ line codons are shown as bolded codons.
  • a change from a germ line codon to the same amino acid is shown as a plain text codon.
  • a first change from a germ line amino acid is shown as a bolded, underlined codon.
  • a second change from a germ line amino acid is shown as an italicized, underlined codon.
  • a third change from a germ line amino acid is shown as an underlined, grayed-out codon.
  • the present report raises two central issues relative to the prevention and treatment of infections caused by the avian influenza neutralized virus.
  • the second important feature of this report relates to the special advantages that antibodies from combinatorial libraries bring to the problem (Lerner R A (2006) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 45, 8106-8125).
  • the most general aspect is that, because such libraries are nucleic acid based, they are not are not dependant on whether an important antibody is currently being produced. This obviates any concern about when in the course of the disease the sample was obtained. Indeed, as is the case here, when the source of antibody genes is the bone marrow, the entire immunologic history of an individual's antibody response may be obtained, irrespective of whether an antibody is actively expressed or is stored in the memory compartment.
  • framework regions and CDR2 of the protein are structurally rather constrained, the evolutionary search of sequence space for increased binding energy through somatic mutation may be more efficient for these regions than for a similar search through the more flexible and diverse CDR3 region. Indeed, it is well known, mostly from attempts to humanize antibodies, that framework mutations can directly or indirectly affect binding energy and/or specificity (Foote J & Winter G, (1992) J Mol Biol 224, 487-499; Holmes, M. A. et al. (2001) J Immunol 167, 296-301). Alternatively, the immune system may use frameworks and/or CDRs that have been previously optimized, perhaps in response to an earlier exposure to a similar virus.
  • amalgamated antibody could contain the best elements of these various loops and frameworks.
  • Characterized neutralizing antibodies can also give information regarding the potential efficacy of candidate vaccines. For instance, one can determine if particular traditional or recombinant vaccine preparations generate antibody classes that have proven to be neutralizing from analysis of survivors of actual infections. Furthermore, these antibodies can be used as test reagents to ensure that epitopes that are important to neutralization are properly presented in the vaccine constructs. While this later point might seem trivial, there has heretofore been no simple way to learn whether critical epitopes are destroyed during construction of subunit vaccines or even during formulation of intact virus preparations.
  • Six H5N1 survivors provided bone marrow and serum for this study. All were diagnosed between December 2005 and January 2006. Descriptions of their diagnoses have been previously reported (Oner et al., (2006) N. Engl. J. Med. 355:2179-2185). Briefly, most samples were nasopharyngeal swabs tested by ELISA, rapid influenza test, and/or real-time polymerase chain reaction in Turkey. Additionally, four of the six survivors were further verified by WHO laboratory testing in London. Following four and five months post recovery bone marrow aspirates and serum from the six survivors were collected, minimally processed in RNALater (Ambion) to preserve RNA integrity, and shipped frozen on dry ice to our laboratories. This study was reviewed and approved by both the Turkish Ministry of Health and the Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey. Written guardian consent was provided for all donors.
  • Hemagglutinin proteins were either purchased from Protein Sciences (H5 Protein A/Vietnam/1203/2004, H1 Protein A/New Calcdonia/20/99, H3 Protein A/Wisconsin/67/05) or generated by de novo synthesis (H1 Protein A/South Carolina/1/18) as eukaryotic codon optimized soluble secreted HA genes (DNA 2.0) and then subcloned into pCI (Promega) for mammalian protein expression, sequence verified, and then transfected into 293 Freestyle cells (Invitrogen) according to manufacturers guidelines.
  • Protein Sciences H5 Protein A/Vietnam/1203/2004, H1 Protein A/New Calcdonia/20/99, H3 Protein A/Wisconsin/67/05
  • de novo synthesis H1 Protein A/South Carolina/1/18
  • pCI Promega
  • Recombinant viruses were genetically engineered and produced as described elsewhere (Fodor et al., (1999) J. Virol. 73:9679-9682). Additionally, Indonesia, Turkey, and Egypt were similarly made except their HA genes were synthetically assembled using eukaryotic codon optimized sequences (DNA 2.0). Inactivated viruses were made as described elsewhere (Fodor et al., supra).
  • Recombinant HA proteins H5 Protein A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (Protein Sciences)—10 ng/well; Recombinant HA H1 Protein A/New Calcdonia/20/99 (Protein Sciences)—10 ng/well; Recombinant HA H3 Protein A/Wisconsin/67/05 (Protein Sciences)—10 ng/well; H1N1 Virus A/New Calcdonia (BioSource)—70 ng/well; H3N2 Virus A/Panama/2007/99 (BioSource)—10 ng/well; FDA Influenza Virus Vaccine for H5N1 rgA/Vietnam/1203/2004 (CBER)— 10 ng/well.
  • ELISA plates were coated as indicated with either recombinant hemagglutinin protein or inactivated virus overnight incubation at room temperature. The next day plates were appropriately blocked (1% bovine serum albumin in PBS/0.05% Tween-20) and then 0.1 ml serum samples, diluted in blocking buffer, were incubated, washed, and detected using a peroxidase conjugated anti-human Fe antibody (Jackson Immuno) and TMB detection (BioFX). Absorbance at 450 nm was read, data recorded, and reported herein.
  • RNAlater (Ambion) was processed with TRI-BD (Sigma) according to manufacturers directions and then further processed to extract purified total RNA as described elsewhere (Barbas et al., (2001) Phage Display: A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Lab Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)).
  • TRI-BD Oligotex spin column purification
  • PCR products were minimally processed by PCR Cleanup (Qiagen) quantitated by A 260 . Heavy chain reactions were gel purified and then, if necessary, amplified again to produce quantities sufficient for cloning.
  • Donor specific heavy chains V H 1, V H 3, V H 4, and V H 2, 5, 6 pool
  • light chain library collections were separately digested with a 40 Unit/ ⁇ g DNA with SfiI and XhoI and gel purified (Qiagen).
  • 5 ⁇ g of kappa and lambda light chain libraries were separately ligated, overnight, with 1.2 ⁇ g of an equimolar mix of the four donor specific heavy chain preparations.
  • the library ligations were spin column desalted (Edge BioSystem) and then transformed in 16-20 electroporations per library. Processing to determine the number of transformants is as described above. Phage production proceeded as described elsewhere. Following phage production the phage was harvested by PEG/NaCl precipitation and resuspended and stored in PBS containing 50% glycerol.
  • Panning and Clonal ELISAs were performed as described previously (Fodor, E. et al. J Virol. 1999; 73(11): 9679-82).
  • Microneutralization Cross sub-type neutralization by antibodies recovered from survivors of avian influenza. Indonesia and Turkey hemagglutinin genes were synthetically assembled using human codon optimized sequences (DNA 2.0) and then used to generate recombinant engineered viruses. Recombinant influenza viruses were generated using reverse genetics as previously described (Fodor, E. et al. J Virol. 1999; 73(11): 9679-82). Briefly, 1 ug each of 10 plasmids was transfected into 293 T cells in monolayer.
  • Each transfection contained ambisense plasmids (for the expression of both vRNAs and mRNAs) for the A/Puerto Rico/8/34/PA, PB1, PB2, NP, M, and NS segments, in addition to vRNA (pPOL1 type) and protein expression plasmids (pCAGGS type) for A/Vietnam/1203/04 HA and NA (pCAGGS expression plasmid was kindly provided by J. Miyazaki, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan) (Miyazaki, J. et al. Gene 1989; 79(2):269-77). Twenty hours following transfection, 293T cells were resuspended in cell culture supernatant, and used to inoculate 10-day-old embryonated eggs.
  • Antibodies were screened for neutralizing activity against viruses as follows. Two fold serial dilutions of each Mab were incubated with 100 TCID 50 of virus in PBS at 370 for 1 h. Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cell monolayers in 24 well plates were washed once with PBS and inoculated with virus-antibody mixtures. Following incubation for 1 h at 37° C. in 5% CO 2 , the inoculum was removed and monolayers were again washed once with PBS. Opti-MEM supplemented with 0.3% BSA, 0.01% FBS and 1 ug/ml TPCK-treated trypsin was added and cells were incubated for 72 h at 37° C. The presence of virus in cell culture supernatants was assessed by HA assays using 0.5% chicken red blood cells.
  • Biotinylation of HA Proteins 100 ug of purified Hemagglutinin protein is biotinylated at a 20:1 molar excess using Pierce No-Weigh PEO4 biotin (cat #21329) according to manufacturers instructions, incubated at room temperature for 1-3 hours with intermittent mixing and then incubated overnight at 4 C. The excess biotin is removed by size exclusion spin column and exchanged into PBS.
  • HA binding Fabs are purified by FPLC using Ni 2+ affinity chromatography, desalted to remove excess imidazole, concentrated, and quantitated by quantitative light chain ELISAs (Bethel Labs, cat # E80-115- ⁇ , and E80-116- ⁇ ) are performed according to the manufacturers instructions.
  • Sample set up HA protein is bound to sensors and allowed to reach new baseline.
  • sample and epitope binding standards are tested for HA saturation using the conditions determined from kinetic analysis. Desalted, concentrated Fabs were evaluated for HA binding in a typical range of 0.5-16 ul in 200 ul sample diluent.
  • standard epitope binding antibodies are first loaded on to HA coated biosensors. A new baseline is established and then the test samples at half saturation concentrations are loaded on to the epitope saturated sensors. Antibodies are tested against all possible epitope recognition standards in this way. The following is a summary of the sample type and time the sensors are held in each column of solution:
  • Biotinylation of HA Proteins 100 ug of purified Hemagglutinin protein is biotinylated at a 20:1 molar excess using Pierce No-Weigh PEO4 biotin (cat #21329) according to manufacturers instructions, incubated at room temperature for 1-3 hours with intermittent mixing and then incubated overnight at 4 C. The excess biotin is removed by size exclusion spin column and exchanged into PBS.
  • HA binding Fabs are purified by FPLC using Ni 2+ affinity chromatography, desalted to remove excess imidazole, concentrated, and quantitated by quantitative light chain ELISAs (Bethel Labs, cat # E80-115- ⁇ , and E80-116- ⁇ ) are performed according to the manufacturers instructions.
  • Kinetic analysis is performed on a range of sample concentrations that are empirically determined. The first range is typically 15 nM-500 nM in serial 2 fold dilutions and the samples are incubated with biosensors coated with HA protein for up to 15 minutes, then incubated in sample diluent for up to 1 hour. All of these steps are done with sample plate rotation at 1500 RPM. Association is measured during the Fab incubation with the HA-coated biosensors and dissociation is measured in the sample diluent incubation following binding. The following is a summary of the sample type and time the sensors are held in each column of solution:
  • VN activity of MAbs was measured as follows. MAb dilutions (50 ml) in ISC-CM—0.1% BSA, eight replicates per dilution, were dispensed into 96-well flat-bottom tissue culture plates. PR8 (50 ml) in ISC-CM—0.1% BSA; (100 TCID50) were added to each well, and the plates were incubated for 1 h at 37° C. MDCK cells were then added to each well (25 ml ISC-CM—0.1% BSA containing 2 3 106 cells/ml), and the plates were incubated for 8 to 14 h to permit MDCK cells to adhere.
  • the medium was then flicked out and replaced with 200 ml of antibody-free ISC-CM—0.1% BSA supplemented with trypsin (2.5% trypsin [Whittaker Bioproducts Inc.]) at a final dilution of 1/3,000; (8 mg/ml).
  • trypsin (2.5% trypsin [Whittaker Bioproducts Inc.]
  • culture supernatants were tested for the presence of virus by HA titer determination.
  • the MAb concentration at which 50% of the cultures were protected from infection was computed by interpolation and taken as the MAb VN activity. Note that low concentrations indicate high VN activity (Mozdzanowska, K. et al. (1997) J. Virol. 71, 4347-4355).
  • cross neutralizing monoclonal antibodies can be used in the design and validation of vaccine production processes that maintain or enhance the quality and antigenicity of cross neutralizing epitopes in current and future manufactured vaccines. Assuming that antibody binding to vaccine is reflective of structural integrity and antigenic potential, one would assess binding of cross neutralizing antibodies, such as Ab-1 (see Table 4 above) to such vaccine process derivatives to quantitatively assess their cross neutralizing potential.
  • cross neutralizing antibodies such as Ab-1 (see Table 4 above)
  • influenza contains many immunodominant epitopes that give rise to non-neutralizing responses.
  • cross protective antibodies it is possible to assess whether antigen variants of vaccines that have been partially or fully deimmunized for these immunodominant non-neutralizing epitopes have maintained or created enhanced recognition of the universally protective epitopes.
  • Additional ways to guide a specific response to a distinct epitope is to simply remove non-neutralizing and non-conserved regions from the recombinant vaccine design.
  • sequence space does not strictly correlate to physical space, this will require the removal of middle coding regions for proteins to create such aglobular constructs. Further as more of the globular domain is removed this will cause residues that are normally embedded within the protein structure to be exposed.
  • conformation epitope In such a design we would take the conformation epitope and express them on hemagglutinin related and unrelated structural scaffolds, or even as a collection of conformational epitopes within a library that could be selected by conformationally dependent antibodies such as Ab-1.
  • discontinuous epitopes to a conformational epitope would result in an even smaller sized peptide immunogen than that possible with traditional protein engineering.
  • structural epitopes may be further enhanced, reduced in size, or substituted through the use of nonpeptide mimetics.
  • any of these conformational derivatives or mimics would be validated by the Ab-1, Ab-1 related antibody, or corresponding antibody to the influenza virus of choice.
  • Influenza fusion epitope spore vaccine targets Methods and materials. Influenza fusion epitope spore vaccine targets.
  • mutagenesis Upon learning the range of sequence involved in broad specificity binding we would use methods of mutagenesis to create improved mutants for testing either individually or amongst a collection in a library. Methods commonly used to introduce mutations could be saturation mutagenesis at sites responsible for binding or error-prone PCR mutagenesis throughout the regions known to be responsible for binding. Similarly, the previously mentioned mutagenesis methods could be applied to other areas of the heavy chain that may influence recognition in a more global manner.
  • Agents include rearranged Vh for delivered as gene therapy (in vivo & ex vivo), engineered transcriptional activators of Vh specific genes.
  • Such agents would be useful for influenza (antiviral) treatment/prophylaxis; as an adjuvant for (antiviral) prophylaxis; ex vivo selection (and possible expansion) of Vh specific B cells for treatment and prophylaxis; influenza epitopes for Vh specific induction/production; 1-69/1-e and related anti-idiotype antibodies/surrobodies to expand Vh specific memory response (may include costimulatory agent on a surrobody or separate administration); vaccines directed to 1-69/1-e frameworks to induce proliferation and production of 1-69/1-e and related antibodies; and any combination of the above.
  • the vaccine may be a traditional live or killed virus, recombinant protein or protein fragment, or even minimized peptide or non-peptidic conformationally epitope complexed with an antibody, antibody fragment or derivative, or surrobody.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Virology (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
  • Microbiology (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Pulmonology (AREA)
  • Mycology (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Biophysics (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Communicable Diseases (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biotechnology (AREA)
  • Oncology (AREA)
  • Peptides Or Proteins (AREA)
  • Medicines Containing Antibodies Or Antigens For Use As Internal Diagnostic Agents (AREA)
  • Measuring Or Testing Involving Enzymes Or Micro-Organisms (AREA)
US12/413,308 2008-03-28 2009-03-27 Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses Abandoned US20100040635A1 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/413,308 US20100040635A1 (en) 2008-03-28 2009-03-27 Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses
US13/185,386 US9169318B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2011-07-18 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens
US15/177,232 US20170136118A1 (en) 2008-03-28 2016-06-08 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US4045908P 2008-03-28 2008-03-28
US12/413,308 US20100040635A1 (en) 2008-03-28 2009-03-27 Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/185,386 Division US9169318B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2011-07-18 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20100040635A1 true US20100040635A1 (en) 2010-02-18

Family

ID=41021445

Family Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/413,308 Abandoned US20100040635A1 (en) 2008-03-28 2009-03-27 Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses
US13/185,386 Active 2032-02-03 US9169318B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2011-07-18 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens
US15/177,232 Abandoned US20170136118A1 (en) 2008-03-28 2016-06-08 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens

Family Applications After (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/185,386 Active 2032-02-03 US9169318B2 (en) 2008-03-28 2011-07-18 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens
US15/177,232 Abandoned US20170136118A1 (en) 2008-03-28 2016-06-08 Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (3) US20100040635A1 (enExample)
EP (2) EP2274334A2 (enExample)
JP (1) JP2011516423A (enExample)
CN (1) CN102046656A (enExample)
AU (1) AU2009228058A1 (enExample)
CA (1) CA2719201A1 (enExample)
IL (1) IL208313A0 (enExample)
WO (1) WO2009121004A2 (enExample)

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20110086058A1 (en) * 2009-10-09 2011-04-14 Shibo Jiang Immunopotentiator-Linked Oligomeric Influenza Immunogenic Compositions
WO2011111966A3 (en) * 2010-03-08 2012-04-05 Celltrion, Inc. Human monoclonal antibodies derived from human b cells and having neutralizing activity against influenza a viruses
WO2012099566A1 (en) 2010-11-17 2012-07-26 Sea Lane Biotechnologies, Llc Influenza virus neutralizing agents that mimic the binding site of an influenza neutralizing antibody
US20140234336A1 (en) * 2011-09-30 2014-08-21 Celltrion Inc. Binding Molecule Having Influenza A Virus-Neutralizing Activity Produced from Human B Cell
WO2014159940A1 (en) 2013-03-14 2014-10-02 Macrogenics, Inc. Bispecific molecules that are immunoreactive with immune effector cells that express an activating receptor
US8877200B2 (en) 2012-05-10 2014-11-04 Visterra, Inc. HA binding agents
WO2016089181A1 (ko) * 2014-12-05 2016-06-09 (주)셀트리온 1 이상의 인플루엔자 바이러스 중화 결합 분자를 포함하는 애주번트 조성물 및 이를 포함하는 백신 조성물
US9975956B2 (en) 2011-12-22 2018-05-22 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Surrogate binding proteins which bind DR4 and/or DR5
US10017561B2 (en) 2009-05-13 2018-07-10 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Neutralizing molecules to influenza viruses
US10214580B2 (en) 2007-03-27 2019-02-26 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Constructs and libraries comprising antibody surrogate light chain sequences
US10300140B2 (en) 2011-07-28 2019-05-28 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Sur-binding proteins against ERBB3
WO2019210144A1 (en) * 2018-04-27 2019-10-31 Vanderbilt University Broadly neutralizing antibodies against hepatitis c virus
US10513553B2 (en) 2015-11-13 2019-12-24 Visterra, Inc. Compositions and methods for treating and preventing influenza
US10610587B2 (en) 2014-12-05 2020-04-07 Celltrion Inc. Adjuvant composition containing at least one influenza virus neutralizing and binding molecule and vaccine composition containing same
US10717778B2 (en) 2014-09-29 2020-07-21 Duke University Bispecific molecules comprising an HIV-1 envelope targeting arm
US11230593B2 (en) 2019-03-25 2022-01-25 Visterra, Inc. Compositions and methods for treating and preventing influenza
WO2023092314A1 (zh) * 2021-11-24 2023-06-01 苏州方科生物科技有限公司 结合bp特异性抗原肽的人源抗体、制备方法及用途
US12202885B2 (en) 2016-02-24 2025-01-21 Visterra, Inc. Formulations of antibody molecules to influenza virus

Families Citing this family (32)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2787099A1 (en) 2009-03-30 2010-10-14 Anice C. Lowen Influenza virus hemagglutinin polypeptides containing stem domains, vaccines and uses thereof
AU2010254136B2 (en) 2009-05-26 2016-09-29 Mount Sinai School Of Medicine Monoclonal antibodies against influenza virus generated by cyclical administration and uses thereof
US9701723B2 (en) 2010-02-18 2017-07-11 Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai Vaccines for use in the prophylaxis and treatment of influenza virus disease
CN102939103A (zh) 2010-03-30 2013-02-20 西奈山医学院 流感病毒疫苗及其应用
JP6050747B2 (ja) * 2010-06-17 2016-12-21 トレリス バイオサイエンス リミテッド ライアビリティー カンパニー インフルエンザ受動免疫化に有用な抗体
US9534042B2 (en) 2010-09-03 2017-01-03 Fujita Health University Influenza virus-neutralizing antibody and screening method therefor
CN107417789A (zh) * 2011-07-18 2017-12-01 生物医学学会 中和抗甲型流感病毒抗体及其用途
US9512202B2 (en) 2011-08-27 2016-12-06 University Of Zurich Multi-strain-reactive antibodies for therapy and diagnosis of influenza
KR20140068205A (ko) 2011-09-20 2014-06-05 마운트 시나이 스쿨 오브 메디슨 인플루엔자 바이러스 백신 및 이의 용도
CN104302321A (zh) 2011-12-05 2015-01-21 特瑞利斯生物科学有限责任公司 可用于被动流感免疫的抗体
KR20150104117A (ko) 2012-12-18 2015-09-14 이칸 스쿨 오브 메디슨 엣 마운트 시나이 인플루엔자 바이러스 백신 및 그의 용도
CN105209071A (zh) 2013-03-14 2015-12-30 抗非特公司 用于提高疗效的基于鼻内递送中和抗体的组合物和方法
WO2014159960A1 (en) 2013-03-14 2014-10-02 Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai Antibodies against influenza virus hemagglutinin and uses thereof
CN104045709B (zh) * 2013-08-02 2017-05-24 中国医学科学院病原生物学研究所 人源抗h7n9禽流感病毒中和性抗体a6、其制备方法及应用
JPWO2015025900A1 (ja) * 2013-08-23 2017-03-02 学校法人藤田学園 抗インフルエンザウイルス中和抗体
KR102344390B1 (ko) 2014-02-04 2021-12-28 콘트라펙트 코포레이션 수동 인플루엔자 면역화에 유용한 항체, 및 이의 사용을 위한 조성물, 조합 및 방법
US10639370B2 (en) 2014-02-04 2020-05-05 Contrafect Corporation Antibodies useful in passive influenza immunization, and compositions, combinations and methods for use thereof
JP6499420B2 (ja) * 2014-11-13 2019-04-10 公益財団法人ヒューマンサイエンス振興財団 ワクチン及び感染防御キット
TWI702229B (zh) 2014-12-19 2020-08-21 美商再生元醫藥公司 流行性感冒病毒血球凝集素之人類抗體
US10736956B2 (en) 2015-01-23 2020-08-11 Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai Influenza virus vaccination regimens
PH12017501216B1 (en) 2015-02-05 2023-05-24 Janssen Vaccines And Prevention B V Binding molecules directed against influenza hemagglutinin and uses thereof
WO2017218624A1 (en) 2016-06-15 2017-12-21 Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai Influenza virus hemagglutinin proteins and uses thereof
BR112019016374A2 (pt) * 2017-02-17 2020-04-07 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company anticorpos para alfa-sinucleína e usos dos mesmos
JOP20190200A1 (ar) 2017-02-28 2019-08-27 Univ Pennsylvania تركيبات نافعة في معالجة ضمور العضل النخاعي
US10786568B2 (en) 2017-02-28 2020-09-29 The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania AAV mediated influenza vaccines
SI3589730T1 (sl) 2017-02-28 2024-04-30 The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania Adeno-povezan virus (AAV) clade F vektor in njihova uporaba
WO2018169785A2 (en) 2017-03-13 2018-09-20 The Government Of The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Therapeutic antibodies to marburg virus
WO2018187706A2 (en) 2017-04-07 2018-10-11 Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai Anti-influenza b virus neuraminidase antibodies and uses thereof
SG11202006379UA (en) 2018-01-26 2020-07-29 Regeneron Pharma Human antibodies to influenza hemagglutinin
EP3810634A4 (en) 2018-06-21 2022-07-27 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Mosaic influenza virus hemagglutinin polypeptides and uses thereof
CA3118073A1 (en) * 2018-10-29 2020-05-07 Immuno-Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. Anti-hiv antibody and method for producing same
EP3959216A4 (en) 2019-04-24 2023-01-11 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ANTI-INFLUENZA B VIRUS NEURAMINIDASE ANTIBODIES AND USES THEREOF

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20070004909A1 (en) * 2005-04-15 2007-01-04 Macrogenics, Inc. Covalent diabodies and uses thereof
US20100297174A1 (en) * 2009-03-30 2010-11-25 Adolfo Garcia-Sastre Influenza virus vaccines and uses thereof

Family Cites Families (40)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4485045A (en) 1981-07-06 1984-11-27 Research Corporation Synthetic phosphatidyl cholines useful in forming liposomes
US4943529A (en) 1982-05-19 1990-07-24 Gist-Brocades Nv Kluyveromyces as a host strain
ZA836080B (en) 1982-08-23 1984-04-25 Scripps Clinic Res Broad spectrum influenza antisera
DD266710A3 (de) 1983-06-06 1989-04-12 Ve Forschungszentrum Biotechnologie Verfahren zur biotechnischen Herstellung van alkalischer Phosphatase
US4544545A (en) 1983-06-20 1985-10-01 Trustees University Of Massachusetts Liposomes containing modified cholesterol for organ targeting
AU3145184A (en) 1983-08-16 1985-02-21 Zymogenetics Inc. High expression of foreign genes in schizosaccharomyces pombe
US4879231A (en) 1984-10-30 1989-11-07 Phillips Petroleum Company Transformation of yeasts of the genus pichia
DD228737A1 (de) * 1984-11-06 1985-10-23 Inst F Angewandte Virologie Verfahren zur herstellung von influenza-inaktivimpfstoffen mit geringer stammabhaengigkeit
GB8610600D0 (en) 1986-04-30 1986-06-04 Novo Industri As Transformation of trichoderma
WO1988006630A1 (en) 1987-03-02 1988-09-07 Genex Corporation Method for the preparation of binding molecules
GB8823869D0 (en) 1988-10-12 1988-11-16 Medical Res Council Production of antibodies
US5175384A (en) 1988-12-05 1992-12-29 Genpharm International Transgenic mice depleted in mature t-cells and methods for making transgenic mice
DE68927344T2 (de) 1989-04-28 1997-02-20 Rhein Biotech Proz & Prod Gmbh Hefezellen der Gattung-Schwanniomyces
EP0402226A1 (en) 1989-06-06 1990-12-12 Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique Transformation vectors for yeast yarrowia
DE3920358A1 (de) 1989-06-22 1991-01-17 Behringwerke Ag Bispezifische und oligospezifische, mono- und oligovalente antikoerperkonstrukte, ihre herstellung und verwendung
FR2649120B1 (fr) 1989-06-30 1994-01-28 Cayla Nouvelle souche et ses mutants de champignons filamenteux, procede de production de proteines recombinantes a l'aide de ladite souche et souches et proteines obtenues selon ce procede
US5013556A (en) 1989-10-20 1991-05-07 Liposome Technology, Inc. Liposomes with enhanced circulation time
GB9015198D0 (en) 1990-07-10 1990-08-29 Brien Caroline J O Binding substance
JPH07501451A (ja) 1991-11-25 1995-02-16 エンゾン・インコーポレイテッド 多価抗原結合タンパク質
JP3571337B2 (ja) 1992-02-11 2004-09-29 セル ジェネシス，インコーポレーテッド 遺伝子標的現象による同型遺伝子接合
US6337070B1 (en) * 1993-04-29 2002-01-08 Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd. Polypeptides for use in generating anti-human influenza virus antibodies
US6214388B1 (en) 1994-11-09 2001-04-10 The Regents Of The University Of California Immunoliposomes that optimize internalization into target cells
GB9522351D0 (en) * 1995-11-01 1996-01-03 Medeva Holdings Bv Vaccine compositions
US6358709B1 (en) 1995-12-07 2002-03-19 Diversa Corporation End selection in directed evolution
US6171820B1 (en) 1995-12-07 2001-01-09 Diversa Corporation Saturation mutagenesis in directed evolution
US6361974B1 (en) 1995-12-07 2002-03-26 Diversa Corporation Exonuclease-mediated nucleic acid reassembly in directed evolution
ES2462532T3 (es) * 1999-10-18 2014-05-23 Novartis Vaccines And Diagnostics, Inc. Composiciones y métodos para estimular una respuesta inmune contra agentes infecciosos
EP1255561B1 (en) * 2000-02-15 2006-06-28 ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec Proteosome influenza vaccine
US20020119148A1 (en) 2000-09-01 2002-08-29 Gerritsen Mary E. ErbB4 antagonists
EP1499887B1 (en) 2002-04-17 2009-08-05 Bioren, Inc. Universal libraries for immunoglobulins
EP1517921B1 (en) 2002-06-28 2006-06-07 Domantis Limited Dual specific ligands with increased serum half-life
ES2609102T3 (es) 2003-06-27 2017-04-18 Bioren, LLC Mutagénesis por revisión
FR2896162B1 (fr) * 2006-01-13 2008-02-15 Sanofi Pasteur Sa Emulsion huile dans eau thermoreversible
WO2007134327A2 (en) * 2006-05-15 2007-11-22 Sea Lane Biotechnologies, Llc. Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses
CA2663388C (en) * 2006-09-07 2017-01-17 Crucell Holland B.V. Human binding molecules capable of neutralizing influenza virus h5n1 and uses thereof
CA2675137A1 (en) 2007-01-12 2008-07-24 Sea Lane Biotechnologies, Llc. Combinatorial libraries of conformationally constrained polypeptide sequences
EP2132312B1 (en) * 2007-03-27 2016-01-27 Sea Lane Biotechnologies,llc. Constructs and libraries comprising antibody surrogate light chain sequences
FR2916107B1 (fr) 2007-05-11 2015-11-27 Centre Nat Etd Spatiales Actionneur alternatif a asservissement en boucle fermee
WO2008153236A1 (en) 2007-06-15 2008-12-18 Protheon Co., Ltd An attenuated influenza virus and a live vaccine comprising the same
MX2010006148A (es) 2007-12-06 2011-02-23 Dana Farber Cancer Inst Inc Anti-cuerpos contra el virus de la influenza y metodos de uso de los mismos.

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20070004909A1 (en) * 2005-04-15 2007-01-04 Macrogenics, Inc. Covalent diabodies and uses thereof
US20100297174A1 (en) * 2009-03-30 2010-11-25 Adolfo Garcia-Sastre Influenza virus vaccines and uses thereof

Cited By (34)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10214580B2 (en) 2007-03-27 2019-02-26 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Constructs and libraries comprising antibody surrogate light chain sequences
US10017561B2 (en) 2009-05-13 2018-07-10 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Neutralizing molecules to influenza viruses
US20110086058A1 (en) * 2009-10-09 2011-04-14 Shibo Jiang Immunopotentiator-Linked Oligomeric Influenza Immunogenic Compositions
US9592287B2 (en) * 2009-10-09 2017-03-14 New York Blood Center, Inc. Immunopotentiator-linked oligomeric influenza immunogenic compositions
US9943589B2 (en) 2009-10-09 2018-04-17 New York Blood Center, Inc. Immunopotentiator-linked oligomeric influenza immunogenic compositions
AU2011225044B2 (en) * 2010-03-08 2013-08-22 Celltrion, Inc. Human monoclonal antibodies derived from human B cells and having neutralizing activity against influenza A viruses
EA021977B1 (ru) * 2010-03-08 2015-10-30 Селлтрион, Инк. Моноклональные антитела человека, полученные из в-клеток человека и обладающие нейтрализующей активностью против вирусов гриппа а
US9573991B2 (en) 2010-03-08 2017-02-21 Celltrion, Inc. Human monoclonal antibodies derived from human B cells and having neutralizing activity against influenza A viruses
WO2011111966A3 (en) * 2010-03-08 2012-04-05 Celltrion, Inc. Human monoclonal antibodies derived from human b cells and having neutralizing activity against influenza a viruses
WO2012099566A1 (en) 2010-11-17 2012-07-26 Sea Lane Biotechnologies, Llc Influenza virus neutralizing agents that mimic the binding site of an influenza neutralizing antibody
US10300140B2 (en) 2011-07-28 2019-05-28 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Sur-binding proteins against ERBB3
US20140234336A1 (en) * 2011-09-30 2014-08-21 Celltrion Inc. Binding Molecule Having Influenza A Virus-Neutralizing Activity Produced from Human B Cell
US9475861B2 (en) * 2011-09-30 2016-10-25 Celltrion Inc. Binding molecule having influenza A virus-neutralizing activity produced from human B cell
US9856312B2 (en) 2011-09-30 2018-01-02 Celltrion Inc. Binding molecule having influenza A virus-neutralizing activity produced from human B cell
US9975956B2 (en) 2011-12-22 2018-05-22 I2 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Surrogate binding proteins which bind DR4 and/or DR5
US9969794B2 (en) 2012-05-10 2018-05-15 Visterra, Inc. HA binding agents
US12024552B2 (en) 2012-05-10 2024-07-02 Visterra, Inc. Ha binding agents
US9096657B2 (en) 2012-05-10 2015-08-04 Visterra, Inc. HA binding agents
US8877200B2 (en) 2012-05-10 2014-11-04 Visterra, Inc. HA binding agents
US10800835B2 (en) 2012-05-10 2020-10-13 Visterra, Inc. HA binding agents
US10730947B2 (en) 2013-03-14 2020-08-04 Macrogenics, Inc. Bispecific molecules that are immunoreactive with immune effector cells that express an activating receptor and an antigen expressed by a cell infected by a virus and uses thereof
WO2014159940A1 (en) 2013-03-14 2014-10-02 Macrogenics, Inc. Bispecific molecules that are immunoreactive with immune effector cells that express an activating receptor
US11421031B2 (en) 2013-03-14 2022-08-23 Macrogenics, Inc. Bispecific molecules that are immunoreactive with immune effector cells that express an activating receptor and an antigen expressed by a cell infected by a virus and uses thereof
EP3839044A1 (en) 2013-03-14 2021-06-23 MacroGenics, Inc. Bispecific molecules that are immunoreactive with immune effector cells that express an activating receptor
US9908938B2 (en) 2013-03-14 2018-03-06 Macrogenics, Inc. Bispecific molecules that are immunoreactive with immune effector cells that express an activating receptor and an antigen expressed by a cell infected by a virus and uses thereof
US10717778B2 (en) 2014-09-29 2020-07-21 Duke University Bispecific molecules comprising an HIV-1 envelope targeting arm
US12173051B2 (en) 2014-09-29 2024-12-24 Duke University Bispecific molecules comprising an HIV-1 envelope targeting arm
US10610587B2 (en) 2014-12-05 2020-04-07 Celltrion Inc. Adjuvant composition containing at least one influenza virus neutralizing and binding molecule and vaccine composition containing same
WO2016089181A1 (ko) * 2014-12-05 2016-06-09 (주)셀트리온 1 이상의 인플루엔자 바이러스 중화 결합 분자를 포함하는 애주번트 조성물 및 이를 포함하는 백신 조성물
US10513553B2 (en) 2015-11-13 2019-12-24 Visterra, Inc. Compositions and methods for treating and preventing influenza
US12202885B2 (en) 2016-02-24 2025-01-21 Visterra, Inc. Formulations of antibody molecules to influenza virus
WO2019210144A1 (en) * 2018-04-27 2019-10-31 Vanderbilt University Broadly neutralizing antibodies against hepatitis c virus
US11230593B2 (en) 2019-03-25 2022-01-25 Visterra, Inc. Compositions and methods for treating and preventing influenza
WO2023092314A1 (zh) * 2021-11-24 2023-06-01 苏州方科生物科技有限公司 结合bp特异性抗原肽的人源抗体、制备方法及用途

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2698380A1 (en) 2014-02-19
WO2009121004A2 (en) 2009-10-01
US20120093834A1 (en) 2012-04-19
US9169318B2 (en) 2015-10-27
WO2009121004A3 (en) 2010-03-25
CN102046656A (zh) 2011-05-04
IL208313A0 (en) 2010-12-30
US20170136118A1 (en) 2017-05-18
EP2274334A2 (en) 2011-01-19
CA2719201A1 (en) 2009-10-01
JP2011516423A (ja) 2011-05-26
AU2009228058A1 (en) 2009-10-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9169318B2 (en) Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens
US10017561B2 (en) Neutralizing molecules to influenza viruses
AU2007249160B2 (en) Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses
CN101854950A (zh) 供体特异性抗体文库
CN101495511A (zh) 流感病毒的中和抗体
US20140199682A1 (en) Influenza neutralizing agents
HK1195318A (en) Neutralizing molecules to viral antigens
Paul Characterization and Optimization of Interaction of Monoclonal Antibodies With Influenza a Hemagglutinin
HK1133895A (en) Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses
HK1171463A (en) Neutralizing molecules to influenza viruses
HK1192256A (en) Neutralizing antibodies to influenza viruses

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC.,CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HOROWITZ, LAWRENCE;BHATT, RAMESH;KASHYAP, ARUN K.;SIGNING DATES FROM 20090618 TO 20090706;REEL/FRAME:022972/0137

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION

AS Assignment

Owner name: SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 022972 FRAME 0137. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNORS:HOROWITZ, LAWRENCE;BHATT, RAMESH;KASHYAP, ARUN K.;SIGNING DATES FROM 20090618 TO 20090706;REEL/FRAME:041151/0535

Owner name: ALTUS BIOPHARMA INC., COLORADO

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SEA LANE BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC.;REEL/FRAME:041154/0070

Effective date: 20161214

Owner name: I2 PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., COLORADO

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ALTUS BIOPHARMA INC.;REEL/FRAME:041154/0613

Effective date: 20161216