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Immunologic and Virologic Basis of RhCMV/SIV Vaccine-Induced Replication Arrest Efficacy

Award Number: P01AI174856
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/22/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2027

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Immunologic and Virologic Basis of RhCMV/SIV Vaccine-Induced Replication Arrest Efficacy - OVERALL - PROJECT SUMMARY Almost 2 decades ago our research group began development of vaccine vectors based on the persistent β- herpesvirus Cytomegalovirus (CMV) because of the ability of CMV to elicit and indefinitely maintain high frequency, effector-differentiated T cell responses in diverse tissues. Using the rhesus macaque (RM) model, we have demonstrated that not only do RhCMV/SIV vaccines provide superior efficacy against highly pathogenic SIV challenge than conventional SIV vaccines (in aggregate, 59% of RhCMV/SIV vaccinated RM with abrogation of progressive SIV infection), this efficacy is of an entirely new pattern – early SIV replication arrest followed by eventual viral clearance – and is mediated by a novel immune response – MHC-E-restricted, effector memory- differentiated CD8+ T cells (which to date can only be elicited by CMV vectors with specific genetic programming). We also know that the efficacy of MHC-E targeted CD8+ T cell responses is predicted by a whole blood transcriptomic signature featuring IL-15 signaling, but the mechanisms responsible for complete arrest and subsequent clearance of nascent SIV infection are not defined, including the questions of why MHC-E-restricted epitope recognition is required for efficacy, how these cells mediate replication arrest, and how the protective whole blood transcriptomic signature influences these unique effector responses. In this program, we seek to both answer these questions and develop detailed criteria for “replication arrest” efficacy for guiding ongoing phase I/II clinical testing of human CMV/HIV vaccines. The proposed program will include the following 3 projects: 1) Immunologic and virologic characterization of RhCMV/SIV vaccine-mediated SIV “replication arrest” efficacy, 2) Characterization of the in vivo T cell (and overall immune) interception of primary SIV infection after vaccination with differentially response programmed RhCMV/SIV vectors (MHC-E- vs. MHC-II- vs. MHC-Ia- restricted) and a conventional prime-boost SIV vaccine (MHC-Ia-restricted), and 3) Determination of the minimal MHC-E-restricted SIV epitope targeting required for RhCMV/SIV vaccine-mediated SIV “replication arrest” efficacy. These projects will be supported by 4 cores: A) Administration, B) NHP, C) Advanced Spatial Analysis, and D) `Omics, Bioinformatics, and Data Management. In addition to guiding current and future clinical testing of HMCV/HIV vaccines, the understanding the immunologic basis of “SIV replication arrest” efficacy and the role of MHC-E-restricted CD8+ T cells in this process will have broad implications for HIV cure approaches, as well as inform the use of MHC-E-restricted CD8+ T cells as universal (MHC haplotype independent) effectors for immunotherapies directed at other infectious diseases or cancer.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $5,680,158 )
2024	2024	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	6/28/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$5,680,158
														Subtotal = $5,680,158

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $5,039,342 )
2023	2023	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	2	7/27/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$5,039,342
2023	2022	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	10/18/2022	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $5,039,342

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $4,983,192 )
2022	2022	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	9/22/2022	NEW	$4,983,192
														Subtotal = $4,983,192

Grand Total All Awards = $15,702,692

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Immunologic and Virologic Basis of RhCMV/SIV Vaccine-Induced Replication Arrest Efficacy

Award Number: P01AI174856

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/22/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2027

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