Vaccination Strategy

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a new vaccination strategy that uses specific immune-stimulating agents (TLR9 and/or TLR4 agonists) in combination with an initial vaccine (prime agent) to boost and expand protective CD8 T-cell responses in the body. The unique aspect is the use of these agents as a 'jump agent' given after the initial vaccine dose, timed to greatly amplify and improve the activation and function of CD8 T cells, which are crucial for fighting persistent infections (like hepatitis) and cancer. This approach leverages a newly discovered way of expanding CD8 T cells directly in peripheral tissues (such as the liver) by creating supportive microenvironments, thereby enabling more effective clearance of infected or malignant cells.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Therapeutic vaccination for chronic viral infections, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C, especially in the liver.
• Prophylactic vaccination (preventive) against intracellular pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and parasites that hide inside cells.
• Cancer immunotherapy, particularly against liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and other solid tumors or metastatic cancer in the liver.
• Enhancing immune responses in patients with weakened or exhausted T cells, as seen in chronic infections or cancer.
• Development of vaccine kits combining an antigenic prime dose and a timed jump agent to achieve superior T cell responses in medical and veterinary applications.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables greater expansion and improved functionality of CD8 T cells, which are critical for clearing chronic infections and cancer.
• Provides a new vaccination strategy (prime-jump) that is distinct from traditional prime-boost regimens, offering potentially superior therapeutic efficacy.
• Allows local amplification of immune responses in organs like the liver where conventional vaccination often fails to elicit strong cellular responses.
• May overcome existing immune tolerance or exhaustion, common problems in chronic infections and tumors.
• Flexible: can be adapted to a variety of intracellular pathogens and cancer types by selecting the appropriate antigen for the prime agent.
• Potentially reduces the number of vaccine doses needed by potentiating a stronger response after an initial priming event.
• Could reduce the risk of systemic side effects by focusing immune expansion locally where needed (e.g., the liver).

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to the use of a TLR 9 agonist and/or a TLR 4 agonist in a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine. According to the present vaccination strategy, the TLR 9 agonist and/or TLR 4 agonist is adapted or designed for use as a multiplying jump agent to enhance numbers and functionality of CD8 T cells in a prime-jump vaccination strategy for jump T cell expansion. In particular, the TLR 9 agonist and/or TLR 4 agonist is used as a component to be administered after priming of the individual to be vaccinated. The vaccination strategy is particularly useful against acute and chronic infections with intracellular pathogens or for anti-tumor vaccination. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a kit of part containing a prime agent and a multiplying jump agent according to the present invention.