IP Library Granted Patent US 11,839,632
Granted Patent B2
US 11,839,632 · App. 18/178,847 · Granted Dec 12, 2023

Topical application of CRISPR-modified bacteria to treat acne vulgaris

Inventors: Tye Jensen (Telluride, CO); Joseph E. Kovarik (Englewood, CO)
Assignee: Seed Health, Inc.
A61K35/74A61K31/58A61K31/715A61K38/1709A61K38/1758A61K2035/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,839,632
App. No.
18/178,847
Granted
Dec 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Compositions, systems and methods of improving the health of the microbiome of an individual's skin relate to the provision of skin contacting formulations containing beneficial bacteria and other microbe components to foster the growth and maintenance of a healthy skin microbiome. Embodiments include methods for treating an individual suffering from acne vulgaris by topically administering a composition that includes live bacteria selected from the group consisting of L. reuteri, L. johnsonii, L. crispatus, C. acnes , and Nitrosomonas eutropha , that have been modified by using a using a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) CRISPR associated protein (Cas) system or a CRISPR from Prevotella and Francisella 1(Cpf1) system to reduce the production of a virulence factor of the bacteria.

Claims (21)

1. A method of reducing the likelihood of a skin condition comprising acne vulgaris that causes skin inflammation in an individual human being, said method comprising: administering a therapeutically effective amount of a bacterial formulation comprising at least one of a live bacteria selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus crispatus, Cutibacterium acnes , and Nitrosomonas eutropha , said bacterial formulation comprising a lotion, ointment or gel adapted to be rubbed onto a region of an individual's skin, wherein at least some bacteria in the bacterial formulation have been modified by using a using a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) CRISPR associated protein (Cas) system or a CRISPR from Prevotella and Francisella 1(Cpf1) system to reduce the production of a virulence factor by at least one of said live bacteria in said bacterial formulation.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the live bacteria is Cutibacterium acnes.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the Cutibacterium acne has the expression of at least one virulence factor gene modified using a CRISPR system, said virulence factors gene selected from the group consisting of virulence factor genes involved in cell adhesion, mediation of inflammation, tissue invasion, and the synthesis of capsule polysaccharides.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the Cutibacterium acnes has the expression of at least one virulence factor gene modified using a CRISPR system, said virulence factors gene selected from the group consisting of virulence factor genes that encode sialidases, neuraminidases, endoglycoceramidases, adhesins, thermal shock proteins, Christie-Atkins-Munch-Petersen (CAMP) factors, and lipases.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the Cutibacterium acnes has the expression of at least one virulence factor gene modified using a CRISPR system, said virulence factors gene selected from the group consisting of virulence factor genes that encode adhesin dermatan-sulfate (DsA1 and DsA2), CAMP factors, polyunsaturated fatty acid isomerase, HtaA iron acquisition protein and GehA lipase, and heat shock proteins.

6. The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the Cutibacterium acnes is modified to enhance the production by C. acnes to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) selected from the group consisting of propionate, acetate, butyrate and valerate.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the SCFA production by C. acnes suppresses the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in an amount to reduce the colonization of S. aureus on the skin.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the SCFA production inhibits biofilm formation by S. epidermidis.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the Cutibacterium acnes is modified via a CRISPR system to increase production of butyrate to achieve beneficial skin conditions.

10. The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the Cutibacterium acnes is modified via a CRISPR system to increase production of butyrate to achieve beneficial skin conditions.

11. The method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the Cutibacterium acnes is modified using a CRISPR system to produce increased levels of porphyrins in an amount sufficient to positively affect other members of the skin microbiome.

12. A method for treating an individual suffering from acne vulgaris, comprising,

using a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) CRISPR associated protein (Cas), selectively killing or retarding the growth of a pathogenic bacteria within the individual, said pathogenic bacteria selected from the group consisting of Staphylococcus aureus; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Klebsiella; Streptoccocus; Salmonella; Shigella; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Enterococcus; E coli; Clostridium; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Acinetobacter baumannii ; and Campylobacter , and enhancing the growth of a beneficial bacteria in the individual selected from the group consisting of C. acnes, Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, Coprococcus, Lactobacillus, Propionibacterium, Ruminococcus, Veillonella, Prevotella , and Streptococcus bacteria.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the individual has skin cancer and the method further comprises administering to the individual an immune checkpoint inhibitor selected from the group consisting of nivolumab, dostarlimab, pembrolizumab, pidilizumab, AMP-224, AMP-514, STI-A1110, RG-7446, BMS-936559, MEDI-4736, AUR-012 and STI-A1010.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the individual has skin cancer and the method further comprises administering to the individual an immune checkpoint inhibitor that specifically binds to an immune checkpoint protein selected from the group consisting of CTLA4, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, A2AR, B7-H3, B7-H4, BTLA, KIR, LAG3, TIM-3 and VISTA; and wherein the immune checkpoint inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of nivolumab, pembrolizumab, pidilizumab, AMP-224, AMP-514, STI-A1110, TSR-042, RG-7446, BMS-936559, MEDI-4736, AUR-012 and STI-A1010.h.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said CRISPR Cas system comprises Cas3 and is delivered using a bacteriophage.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12 , wherein using the CRISPR-Cas system, said pathogenic bacteria are killed while sparing other commensal bacteria.

17. The method as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising administering at least two probiotic strains to the individual's skin, said at least two probiotic strains being either live or heat-killed and selected from the group consisting of Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus spp., Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes.

18. The method as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising administering to the individual's skin at least one probiotic strain that does not upregulate innate immune response genes selected from the group consisting of CXCL1, CXCL3, CXCL8, CXCL10.

19. The method as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising administering to the individual's skin at least one probiotic strain that does not upregulate innate immune response genes selected from the group consisting of IL10RA, PTGS2, F2RL1, TRIM29, TRAF4, LGALS3, CD55, TRIMS, CASP4, IFNGR1, ADA, NOD1, NOS2, and APP.

20. The method as set forth in claim 12 , wherein using CRISPR-Cas systems, said pathogenic bacteria are killed while sparing other commensal bacteria, said commensal bacteria selected from the group consisting of C. acnes, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bifidobacterium, Lachnospira, Veillonella, Coprococcus, Akkermansia muciniphila and Rothia.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2026
From: SEED HEALTH, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS LENDER
Reel/Frame 076028/0339 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2023
From: JENSEN, TYE; KOVARIK, JOSEPH E.
To: SEED HEALTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 062892/0333 →
Continuity (61)
Continuation In Part 18087545 · Dec 22, 2022
Continuation In Part 17854422 · Jun 30, 2022
Continuation In Part 17848759 · Jun 24, 2022
Continuation In Part 17835204 · Jun 8, 2022
Continuation In Part 17567295 · Jan 3, 2022
Continuation In Part 17337600 · Jun 3, 2021
Continuation In Part 17027953 · Sep 22, 2020
Continuation In Part 16917096 · Jun 30, 2020
Continuation In Part 16782364 · Feb 5, 2020
Continuation In Part 16423375 · May 28, 2019
Continuation 16160336 · Oct 15, 2018
Continuation 15403823 · Jan 11, 2017
Continuation 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 16426346 · May 30, 2019
Continuation 15639767 · Jun 30, 2017
Continuation In Part 15437976 · Feb 21, 2017
Continuation In Part 15228454 · Aug 4, 2016
Continuation In Part 14954074 · Nov 30, 2015
Continuation In Part 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 16776861 · Jan 30, 2020
Continuation 16142171 · Sep 26, 2018
Continuation In Part 15395419 · Dec 30, 2016
Continuation In Part 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 17893384 · Aug 23, 2022
Continuation In Part 17023736 · Sep 17, 2020
Continuation In Part 17011175 · Sep 3, 2020
Continuation In Part 16722117 · Dec 20, 2019
Continuation In Part 16229252 · Dec 21, 2018
Continuation In Part 15392173 · Dec 28, 2016
Continuation In Part 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 17738771 · May 6, 2022
Continuation In Part 16904056 · Jun 17, 2020
Continuation In Part 15983250 · May 18, 2018
Continuation In Part 15384716 · Dec 20, 2016
Continuation In Part 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 16037053 · Jul 17, 2018
Continuation In Part 17543992 · Dec 7, 2021
Continuation In Part 16804361 · Feb 28, 2020
Continuation In Part 16020433 · Jun 27, 2018
Continuation In Part 15342642 · Nov 3, 2016
Continuation In Part 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 15270034 · Sep 20, 2016
Continuation In Part 14954074 · Nov 30, 2015
Continuation In Part 14574517 · Dec 18, 2014
Continuation In Part 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 17836079 · Jun 9, 2022
Continuation In Part 16884772 · May 27, 2020
Continuation In Part 16136950 · Sep 20, 2018
Continuation 15385278 · Dec 20, 2016
Continuation 18178847 · Mar 28, 2023
Continuation In Part 14752192 · Jun 26, 2015
Provisional Application 62296186 · Feb 17, 2016
Provisional Application 62274550 · Jan 4, 2016
Provisional Application 62275341 · Jan 6, 2016
Provisional Application 62387405 · Dec 24, 2015
Provisional Application 62260906 · Nov 30, 2015
Provisional Application 62072476 · Oct 30, 2014
Provisional Application 62053926 · Sep 23, 2014
Provisional Application 62014855 · Jun 20, 2014
Provisional Application 61919297 · Dec 20, 2013
Related Publication 20230218682A1 · Jul 13, 2023
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