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Design of a human monoclonal antibody-informed dengue vaccine

Award Number: R01AI099210
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: 05/10/2013
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2018

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Design of a human monoclonal antibody-informed dengue vaccine - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite being the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease, there is currently no vaccine for dengue. There are four distinct serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) and cross reactive antibodies to one serotype can enhance infection of other serotypes into Fc receptor-bearing cells such as macrophages correlating with severe disease in humans. A safe and effective vaccine should induce strong, cross protective neutralizing antibodies against all four DENV serotypes, while minimizing non-neutralizing cross reactive antibodies that will only serve to enhance infection and disease severity. Therefore, an optimal vaccine should include only those antigenic regions that will induce strongly neutralizing antibodies and none of the antigenic regions that induce non-neutralizing antibodies. The central aim of this project is to investigate the hypothesis that a vaccine containing only those epitopes that will induce a strong, broadly neutralizing DENV antibody response will be safe and effective. To accomplish this central aim, this project proposes to shift the current paradigm of DENV vaccine research by using insights derived from the study of unique human monoclonal anti-DENV antibodies against the surface E protein to design, characterize, and test a chimeric vaccine in a mouse model. The first specific aim is to design flavivirus E protein chimeras containing DENV epitopes, and characterize their folding, assembly, and functionality. As our results with human MAbs indicate that the important neutralizing DENV epitopes are conformationally sensitive, a related flavivirus, yellow fever will be used as a scaffold for constructing the chimeras. We will introduce specific DENV epitopes into the yellow fever 17D vaccine strain E protein, generate chimeric E protein, virus- like particles, and infectious virus and determine whether these E protein chimeras are still recognized by our human anti-DENV monoclonal antibodies. The second specific aim is to evaluate the antigenicity of flavivirus E protein chimeras containing DENV epitopes in a mouse model and assay serum for the presence of binding, neutralizing, and enhancing anti-DENV antibodies in vitro. The third specific aim is to determine if flavivirus E protein chimeras containing DENV epitopes will produce a protective immunological response in a mouse DENV challenge model. Infectious challenge with DENV is proposed using a widely accepted murine model of DENV infection. Successful completion of the aims will create a DENV vaccine that will induce a broadly neutralizing antibody response, while minimizing the induction of a non-neutralizing, enhancing antibody response, minimizing the risk of more severe disease in vaccine recipients.


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: 2019 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2019	2016	FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY	10501 FGCU BLVD S	FORT MYERS	FL	33965	LEE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	4	2/25/2019	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$180,596
2019	2015	FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY	10501 FGCU BLVD S	FORT MYERS	FL	33965	LEE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	2/25/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$180,596
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $456,265 )
2016	2016	FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY	10501 FGCU BOULEVARD SOUTH	FORT MYERS	FL	33965	LEE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	4	4/22/2016	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$456,265
														Subtotal = $456,265

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $457,349 )
2015	2015	FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY	10501 FGCU BOULEVARD SOUTH	FORT MYERS	FL	33965	LEE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	4/6/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$457,349
														Subtotal = $457,349

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $424,835 )
2014	2014	FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY	10501 FGCU BOULEVARD SOUTH	FORT MYERS	FL	33965	LEE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	5/20/2014	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$424,835
														Subtotal = $424,835

Issue Date FY: 2013 ( Subtotal = $381,052 )
2013	2013	FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY	10501 FGCU BOULEVARD SOUTH	FORT MYERS	FL	33965	LEE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	5/10/2013	NEW	$381,052
														Subtotal = $381,052

Grand Total All Awards = $1,719,501

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Design of a human monoclonal antibody-informed dengue vaccine

Award Number: R01AI099210

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: 05/10/2013

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2018

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