Conjugates comprising an antigen and a carrier molecule
The invention provides a conjugate comprising an antigen and a carrier molecule, wherein the carrier molecule comprises a spr0096 antigen and a spr2021 antigen. spr0096 and spr2021 are Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens. The conjugate may be used in a method for raising an immune response in a mammal, the method comprising administering the conjugate to the mammal. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, particularly vaccines, comprising the conjugate.
1. A conjugate comprising an antigen covalently linked to a carrier molecule, wherein the carrier molecule comprises a spr0096 antigen covalently linked to a spr2021 antigen and the antigen is a bacterial capsular saccharide.
2. The conjugate of claim 1 , wherein the carrier molecule comprises the spr0096 antigen and the spr2021 antigen as a single polypeptide chain.
3. The conjugate of claim 2 , wherein the spr0096 antigen comprises an amino acid sequence having 50% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
4. The conjugate of claim 2 , wherein the spr2021 antigen comprises an amino acid sequence having 50% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.
5. The conjugate of claim 3 , wherein the spr2021 antigen comprises an amino acid sequence having 50% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.
6. The conjugate of claim 2 , wherein the polypeptide chain is of the formula NH 2 -A-{-X-L-} n -B—COOH, wherein: A is an optional N-terminal amino acid sequence; B is an optional C-terminal amino acid sequence; n is an integer of 2 or more such that there is at least an X 1 and an X 2 ; each X is an amino acid sequence of an spr0096 antigen or an spr2021 antigen, wherein at least one X is an spr0096 antigen and at least one X is an spr2021 antigen; and L is an optional linker amino acid sequence.
7. The conjugate of claim 6 , wherein n is 2.
8. The conjugate of claim 7 , wherein the X 1 is an spr0096 antigen and the X 2 is an spr2021 antigen.
9. The conjugate of claim 8 , wherein the spr0096 antigen comprises an amino acid sequence having 50% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, and the spr2021 antigen comprises an amino acid sequence having 50% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.
10. The conjugate of claim 1 , wherein the bacterial capsular saccharide is a capsular saccharide from N. meningitidis or a capsular saccharide from S. pneumoniae.
11. The conjugate of claim 1 , wherein the bacterial capsular saccharide is a capsular saccharide from N. meningitidis serogroup A, C, W135 or Y.
12. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a conjugate of claim 1 in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
13. A pharmaceutical composition of claim 12 comprising a mixture of conjugates comprising saccharides from N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W135 and Y.
14. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 13 , wherein the conjugates comprising saccharides from N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W135 and Y are separate conjugates for each saccharide.
15. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 14 , wherein the conjugates comprising saccharides from N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W135 and Y are based on the same carrier.
16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a conjugate of claim 2 in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
17. A pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 comprising a mixture of conjugates comprising saccharides from N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W135 and Y.
18. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 17 , wherein the conjugates comprising saccharides from N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W135 and Y are separate conjugates for each saccharide.
19. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 18 , wherein the conjugates comprising saccharides from N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, W135 and Y are based on the same carrier.
20. A method for raising an immune response in a mammal, comprising administering a conjugate of claim 1 to the mammal.
21. A method for raising an immune response in a mammal, comprising administering a conjugate of claim 2 to the mammal.
22. A method for raising an immune response in a mammal, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition of claim 16 to the mammal.