Infectious Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 Recombinants – Prospective Vaccine Candidates and Vector System

This technology is a recombinant, infectious genotype 3 Hepatitis E virus (HEV) that has been adapted to grow in cell culture and can potentially be used to develop vaccines against HEV or as a vector system to insert exogenous sequences into HEV. The virus (strain Kernow-C1, genotype 3) originated from a chronically infected human subject and was adapted to grow in human hepatoma cells. The adapted virus is unique in that it contains an insertion of a portion of a human ribosomal protein in Open Reading Frame 1 of the virus. Desired exogenous sequences can potentially be placed in lieu of the insert without inactivating the virus. Infection by HEV is a relevant health issue in a number of developing countries and is also an emerging food-borne disease of industrialized countries. Genotype 1 and 2 infections are found exclusively in humans while genotype 3 and 4 viruses have been found not only in humans, but also swine, deer, mongoose, cattle, and rabbits. In particular, genotype 3 and 4 viruses are ubiquitously found in swine and undercooked pork is thought to be one of the sources of infection for cases of human infections in industrialized countries. IC: NIAIDNIH Ref. No.: E-074-2011/2TAB No: TAB-2329Advantages: Most of the HEV vaccines under development are subunit based while the subject technology could potentially be developed into a live, attenuated virus based vaccine. Ability to insert exogenous sequences into the viral genome without inact...
Source: NIH OTT Licensing Opportunities - Category: Research Authors: Source Type: research