IP Library Granted Patent US 12,551,552
Granted Patent B2
US 12,551,552 · App. 17/626,206 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Antigenic glycoprotein E polypeptides, compositions, and methods of use thereof

Inventors: Arthur Fridman (Lake Ariel, PA); Jennifer Dawn Galli (Telford, PA); Dai Wang (Blue Bell, PA); Lan Zhang (Chalfont, PA)
Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
A61K39/245C12N7/00A61K2039/53C12N2710/16622C12N2710/16634
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,551,552
App. No.
17/626,206
Granted
Feb 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to HSV glycoprotein E antigenic peptide constructs and HSV protein vaccines, as well as methods of using the vaccines and compositions comprising the vaccines. The present invention directed to immunogenic polypeptides of use for a vaccine against Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). The polypeptides are glycoprotein E peptides that are mutated to reduce their binding to antibody Fc domain.

Claims (15)

1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the mature amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 12-27, or a variant thereof, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 12 does not vary any of positions 337-344, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 13 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 14 does not vary any of positions 337-339, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 15 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 16 does not vary any of positions 337-339, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 17 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 18 does not vary any of positions 337-338, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 19 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 20 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 21 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 22 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 23 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 24 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 25 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 26 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, or wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 27 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, and wherein the variant amino acid sequence of the isolated polypeptide has 95-99% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, or 27.

2 . The isolated polypeptide of claim 1 , comprising the mature amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 12, 15, 17, 20-24, and 26, or the variant thereof.

3 . The isolated polypeptide of claim 1 , comprising the mature amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 12, 20, 24, or 26, or the variant thereof.

4 . An isolated polypeptide, comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 12, 20, 24, or 26, or a variant thereof, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 12 does not vary any of positions 337-344, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 20 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 24 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, or wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 26 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, and wherein the variant amino acid sequence of the isolated polypeptide has 95-99% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, 20, 24, or 26.

5 . An isolated nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 29-44, or a variant thereof, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 29 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1032 that encode amino acids at positions 337-344 of SEQ ID NO: 12, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 30 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1020 that encode amino acids at positions 337-340 of SEQ ID NO: 13, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 31 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1017 that encode amino acids at positions 337-339 of SEQ ID NO: 14, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 32 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1020 that encode amino acids at positions 337-340 of SEQ ID NO: 15, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 33 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1017 that encode amino acids at positions 337-339 of SEQ ID NO: 16, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 34 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1020 that encode amino acids at positions 337-340 of SEQ ID NO: 17, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 35 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1014 that encode amino acids at positions 337-338 of SEQ ID NO: 18, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 36 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1020 that encode amino acids at positions 337-340 of SEQ ID NO: 19, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 37 comprises nucleotides at positions 1009-1020 that encode amino acids at positions 337-340 of SEQ ID NO: 20, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 38 comprises nucleotides at positions 733-735 that encode residue 245 of SEQ ID NO: 21, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 39 comprises nucleotides at positions 949-951 that encode residue 317 of SEQ ID NO: 22, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 40 comprises nucleotides at positions 955-957 that encode residue 319 of SEQ ID NO: 23, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 41 comprises nucleotides at positions 733-735 and 949-951 that encode amino acids at positions 245 and 317, respectively, of SEQ ID NO: 24, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 42 comprises nucleotides at positions 733-735 and 955-957 that encode amino acids at positions 245 and 319, respectively, of SEQ ID NO: 25, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 43 comprises nucleotides at positions 949-951 and 955-957 that encode amino acids at positions 317 and 319, respectively, of SEQ ID NO: 26, or wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 44 comprises nucleotides at positions 733-735, 949-951, and 955-957 that encode amino acids at positions 245, 317, and 319, respectively, of SEQ ID NO: 27, and wherein the variant nucleic acid sequence of the isolated nucleic acid has 95-99% homology to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, or 44.

6 . The isolated nucleic acid of claim 5 , comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 29, 32, 34, 37-41 or 43, or the variant thereof.

7 . The isolated nucleic acid of claim 6 , comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 29, 37, 41, or 43, or the variant thereof.

8 . A Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) vaccine comprising an isolated antigenic polypeptide, the isolated antigenic polypeptide comprising the mature amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 12-27, or a variant thereof, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 12 does not vary any of positions 337-344, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 13 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 14 does not vary any of positions 337-339, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 15 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 16 does not vary any of positions 337-339, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 17 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 18 does not vary any of positions 337-338, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 19 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 20 does not vary any of positions 337-340, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 21 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 22 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 23 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 24 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 25 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 26 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, or wherein the variant of SEQ ID NO: 27 does not vary any of positions 245, 317, or 319, and wherein the variant isolated antigenic polypeptide has 95-99% homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, or 27.

9 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , comprising the isolated antigenic polypeptide comprising the mature amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 12, 15, 17, 20-24, or 26, or the variant thereof.

10 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , comprising the isolated antigenic polypeptide comprising the mature amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 12, 20, 24, or 26, or the variant thereof.

11 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , further comprising a second isolated antigenic polypeptide, the second isolated antigenic polypeptide comprising the mature amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, or a variant thereof, wherein the variant isolated antigenic polypeptide has 95-99% homology to the mature amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10.

12 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , wherein the HSV vaccine is multivalent.

13 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , formulated in an effective amount to produce an antigen-specific immune response.

14 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , wherein the HSV vaccine further comprises an adjuvant.

15 . The HSV vaccine of claim 8 , wherein the HSV vaccine does not comprise an adjuvant.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Aug 8, 2022
From: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC
Reel/Frame 061102/0145 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2022
From: FRIDMAN, ARTHUR; GALLI, JENNIFER DAWN; WANG, DAI; ZHANG, LAN
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
Reel/Frame 058616/0678 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62876093 · Jul 19, 2019
Related Publication 20220280636A1 · Sep 8, 2022
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