An immunomodulatory yeast-derived beta glucan as a component of a conjugate

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients, are a serious and growing problem. Although antifungal therapeutics have improved greatly, failures and relapse are common. Aspergillus fumigatus is a primary cause of these infections in several patient populations: transplants, leukemics, genetic deficiencies such as chronic granulomatous disease and others, with mortality remaining high. Preventative antifungal vaccines are an attractive, but as yet unrealized, option. The goal of this proposal is to develop a prototype glucan-protein vaccine by conjugating a protein to a particulate -glucan immunomodulator (i.e., WGP), a cell wall component of many pathogenic fungi. Preliminary work using WGP alone or conjugated to a non-specific protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), indicated that a glucan-protein vaccine was active against Aspergillus and Coccidioides. The work described in this proposal will examine the potential of conjugating a specific, immunodom