US 12,304,966 B2
Split superantigens and their use for immunotherapy
Roman Jerala, Ljubljana (SI); and Anja Golob Urbanc, Kranj (SI)
Assigned to KEMIJSKI INSTITUT, Ljubljana (SI)
Appl. No. 16/629,009
Filed by Kemijski Institut, Ljubljana (SI)
PCT Filed Jun. 14, 2018, PCT No. PCT/SI2018/050019
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 6, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/009819, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 10, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. P-201700202 (SI), filed on Jul. 5, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0317805 A1, Oct. 8, 2020
Int. Cl. A61K 39/00 (2006.01); A61P 35/00 (2006.01); C07K 14/31 (2006.01); C07K 16/30 (2006.01); A61K 38/00 (2006.01)
CPC C07K 16/30 (2013.01) [A61P 35/00 (2018.01); C07K 14/31 (2013.01); A61K 38/00 (2013.01); A61K 2039/505 (2013.01); C07K 2319/33 (2013.01); C07K 2319/43 (2013.01); C07K 2319/73 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
 
1. A set of two fusion proteins, each comprising a non-functional fragment of a superantigen fused with proteins,
wherein the proteins comprise antigen-binding moieties, the antigen-binding moieties being antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof, to trigger dimerization of the non-functional fragments into a biologically active form with superantigen function upon contact with a target cell,
wherein the superantigen is staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) from Staphylococcus aureus,
wherein the first non-functional fragment is an N-terminal fragment of said superantigen and comprises the entire amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and the second non-functional fragment is a C-terminal fragment of said superantigen and comprises the entire amino acid as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and
wherein each of the two fusion proteins further comprises a flexible glycine serine peptide linker, the linker comprised of 10 to 15 amino acids, which fuses the non-functional fragment of the superantigen with the proteins.