Filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) is one of the major adhesion molecules of Bordetella pertussis, a bacterial infection that causes whopping cough. Once thought to be primarily a childhood disease, B. pertussis infection shows an increasing incidence among adults as well as infants. Recent CDC reports show an almost 19-fold increase in the number of cases among 10-19 year olds and an almost 16-fold increase among those 20 and older. These data underscore the need for a new generation of vaccines and detailed studies focused on the pathways of B. pertussis infectivity.

Available for licensing are three hybridoma cell lines capable of expressing monoclonal antibodies against FHA. ELISA and Western blot analyses have shown that these antibodies, map to specific epitopes, can successfully bind to FHA as well as prevent binding of the purified FHA to various cells. The additional studies showed that one antibody was able to prevent the adhesion of B. pertussis to epithelial cell monolayers. These findings show that monoclonal antibodies expressed in featured hybridoma cell lines can be successfully used for studies of infectivity mechanisms as well as development of new diagnostics and acellular vaccines against B. pertussis.

Inventors:
Michael Brennan

Intellectual Property:
Research Tool -- patent protection is not being sought for this technology.

Publications:
Leininger E, Probst PG, Brennan MJ, Kenimer JG. Inhibition of Bordetella pertussis filamentous hemagglutinin-mediated cell adherence with monoclonal antibodies. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1993 Jan 1;106(1):31-38. PubMed abs
Leininger E, Bowen S, Renauld-Mongénie G, Rouse JH, Menozzi FD, Locht C, Heron I, Brennan MJ. Immunodominant domains present on the Bordetella pertussis vaccine component filamentous hemagglutinin. J Infect Dis. 1997 Jun;175(6):1423-1431. PubMed abs

Licensing Contact:
Bill Ronnenberg, JD-MIP, MS
FDA Technology Transfer Program
10903 New Hampshire Ave.
Building WO1, Rm 4214
Silver Spring, MD 20993
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 240-402-4561

OTT Reference No: E-044-2008/0
Updated: August 9, 2015