NIH Licensing Opportunity: A Vaccine Against Polyomavirus-Induced Brain Disease

NIH Licensing Opportunity: A Vaccine Against Polyomavirus-Induced Brain Disease

 

One Million Solutions in Health™ has established a one-of-a-kind, new partnership with the United States’ National Institutes of Health Office of Technology Transfer (NIH-OTT) and the National Cancer Institute Technology Transfer Center (NCI-TTC) to increase awareness and understanding of NIH technologies by potential partners in the life science and healthcare industries.

This provides you with a front-row seat to hear about new technology and science from various scientists at the NIH. This is also your opportunity to participate in our proprietary Signature Square process, where end-users can evaluate the technology, ask questions and provide feedback directly to the scientist.

A Vaccine Against Polyomavirus-Induced Brain Disease

Join us for the first of a two-part webinar series: A Vaccine Against Polyomavirus-Induced Brain Disease.

A great majority of healthy adults chronically shed polyomavirus virions in their urine and from the surface of their skin. Although these infections generally aren’t known to cause symptoms in healthy individuals, polyomavirus can cause brain and kidney damage in immunosuppressed individuals.

Studies were conducted on two families of cancer-causing viruses with circular DNA genomes, and it was found that the polyomavirus coat protein spontaneously self-assembles into virus-like particles (VLPs) that closely resemble the native virion. These VPLs were found to be exceptionally potent immunogens in humans.

The NCI has recently been allowed patents covering the use of VLPs as vaccines targeting two human polyomaviruses known as JCV and BKV.  During this two-part webinar series, NCI Senior Investigator, Chris Buck will describe the application of a polyomavirus VLP vaccine to the prevention and treatment of JCV-induced brain disease and kidney disease in transplant patients.

Patients on a variety of immunosuppressive therapies, including the successful multiple sclerosis drug natalizumab, constitute a well-defined market for the polyomavirus vaccine. Since VLPs are generally safe and patients have no other options for preventing this devastating disease, the vaccine is likely to be eligible for FDA fast-track licensing.

 

The Signature Square process is part of our Consortium infrastructure. Current member companies in the Technology Evaluation Consortium and SafeTEC include organizations like AstraZeneca, AbbVie, Amgen and Allergan, along with many others, including scientists, clinicians and investors in organizations around the world who help to evaluate this technology. 

This is your opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback directly to the scientists by taking part in this Signature Square program. 

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PANELISTS
	SPEAKER: Christopher B. Buck, Ph.D. Senior Investigator National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research (CCR)
	MODERATOR: Dawn Van Dam Executive Director & CEO One Million Solutions in Health™