Inventors:
Robert N. Brey - Rochester NY
William R. Majarian - Pittsford NY
Subramonia Pillai - Rochester NY
Wayne T. Hockmeyer - Pittsford NY
Assignee:
Praxis Biologics, Inc. - Rochester NY
International Classification:
C12N 1500
C12N 121
C12N 100
C12P 2102
A01N 6300
C07H 1512
C07K 300
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to attenuated strains of enteroinvasive bacteria that express a peptide or protein related to an epitope of the malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium. The bacterial strains of the invention which can multiply in a host without causing significant disease or disorder, and which express a Plasmodium-related peptide that induces a protective immune response against malaria, can be used in live vaccine formulations for malaria. In specific embodiments, a Plasmodium-related peptide can be expressed as a fusion protein, for example, with a bacterial enterotoxin. The invention also relates to methods for expression of malaria antigens or fragments thereof within attenuated enteroinvasive bacteria. In particular embodiments, the invention is directed to the expression by attenuated Salmonella spp. of epitopes of Plasmodium circumsporozoite proteins.