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Development of an Antigen Capture Assay for Babesia microti

Award Number: R41AI108006
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: 06/11/2014
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/01/2016

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Development of an Antigen Capture Assay for Babesia microti - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Babesia microti, the primary etiologic agent of human babesiosis, is a tick borne eukaryotic apicomplexan pathogen that is an increasing threat to the US public health. Although B. microti is primarily a tick borne pathogen, it can be transmitted by transfusion of infected blood. Despite the well-recognized threat, there is no FDA licensed test to screen donor blood for B. microti. This inability to prevent Babesia contamination of the US blood supply has resulted in transfusion-transmitted Babesia emerging as the leading cause of death due to microbial contamination of US blood supplies. In this phase 1 STTR application, we will focus on developing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for a rapid antigen-capture assay that is both sensitive and specific for the detection of B. microti antigens in human blood. This assay will fill the current gap in the ability to protect the US blood supply against B. microti-infected blood. Very few antigenic peptides have been identified in B. microti that could be used in an antigen capture assay. Consequently, in Aim 1 we will use a novel procedure to generate mAbs to the full spectrum of Babesia antigens generated during infection and identify peptides recognized by the mAbs. In Aim 2 we will express these Babesia antigens in an innovative Toxoplasma expression system to retain conformational in addition to linear epitopes in the proteins that may be important for mAb recognition. This expression system will be used to purify a consistent amount of Babesia antigens for use in downstream assay-development and as standards for our prototype assay. In Aim 3 we will identify non-interfering pairs of monoclonal antibodies to be used as a capture and reporter for each antigen to generate a prototype antigen capture assay for Babesia.


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: 2016 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2016	2015	BIOPEPTIDES INC	25 EAST LOOP ROAD	STONY BROOK	NY	11790	SUFFOLK	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	6/8/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2015 ( Subtotal = $286,079 )
2015	2015	BIOPEPTIDES INC	25 EAST LOOP ROAD	STONY BROOK	NY	11790	SUFFOLK	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	5/8/2015	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$286,079
														Subtotal = $286,079

Issue Date FY: 2014 ( Subtotal = $300,000 )
2014	2014	BIOPEPTIDES INC	25 EAST LOOP ROAD	STONY BROOK	NY	11790	SUFFOLK	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	6/11/2014	NEW	$300,000
														Subtotal = $300,000

Grand Total All Awards = $586,079

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Development of an Antigen Capture Assay for Babesia microti

Award Number: R41AI108006

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: 06/11/2014

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/01/2016

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