SBIR Phase I: Nuclease-Shielded DNA Aptamer 'Antibiotics' that Couple with Complement

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to design DNA-aptamers that will be covalently linked to C1qrs and will subsequently induce an immune response to the target organism. Specifically, this Phase I work has the following key objectives: 1) recreating the aptamers against isolated surface antigens for better specificity with 2'-fluorine or other chemical modifications to make the aptamers nuclease-resistant, 2) cloning and sequencing the successful aptamers, 3) devising new aptamer-C1qrs conjugation chemistry that would be more amenable to future in vivo applications, and 4) verifying the mechanism by transmission electron microscopy and other techniques. The commercial application of this project is in the area of infectious diseases. The proposed technology could have a very far-reaching, positive impact on combating otherwise antibiotic-resistant bacteria and parasitic diseases that are difficult to treat. New families of aptamers could be made over time and coupled to the complement system in vivo to combat emerging diseases and patient relapses due to organism mutations.