An epitope-focused nanoparticle vaccine for anthrax

Abstract We have successfully developed a highly immunogenic, optimized and lyophilizable epitope-focused, bivalent anthrax vaccine, referred to as LND-LF-VLP, using our novel proprietary platform technology which incorporates the vaccine target sequence into highly immunogenic virus like particles. This new vaccine targets two distinct neutralizing determinants, which are not targeted by Biothrax, the currently approved vaccine for anthrax. When formulated with human use adjuvants, this new vaccine has potential to elicit very rapid protective immunity with only one or two injections. Our proposal will focus on two overarching aims: 1) to demonstrate the efficacy of two immunizations with the LND-LF-VLP in human use adjuvants for protection of rabbits from high dose aerosol spore challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames strain and 2) to optimize and develop standard operating procedures for the expression, purification and quality assurance of the LND-LF- VLP vaccine in a manner enabling eventual scale-up production by a contract manufacturing organization. This new epitope-focused, VLP vaccine promises to be a highly stable, safe and strategic new vaccine for anthrax.Spores of B. anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, can be weaponized and represent a threat to our armed forces and civilians at large. We are developing a new highly potent vaccine for anthrax that will be a valuable addition to the immunopreventatives in the Strategic National stockpile