Maryland Patent of the Month – February 2021
Current treatments for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) offer a long, productive life for those infected. However, they also increase the risk of severe toxicities with effects like insulin resistance, organ failure, and more. Attempts at creating passive immunotherapy HIV therapies have been successful in vitro but not in vivo. Lentigen Technology, Inc. has been working on a therapeutic method to treat HIV using Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR).
CARs are hybrid molecules made of three essential units : antigen binding motif, linking motifs, and T-cell signaling motifs. Previous attempts to create a treatment for HIV have been made using CARs, but are only successful in vitro or ineffective. Lentigen Technology is using CARs containing a novel anti-HIV envelope protein antibody. Their methodology results in anti-HIV CARs expressing abundantly on the surface of primary T-cells. The HIV envelope protein expressed on the surface of the HIV virion is used to target and hijack the T-cells. During HIV infection, the HIV envelope protein binds to helper T-cells allowing for a viral release of HIV RNA to the T-cell. A portion of this envelope protein remains on the surface of the infected T-cells which are now producing HIV virus. Their methodology designs a CAR to recognize this HIV-infected envelope protein and proceeds to eliminate the infected T-cell. This could potentially lead beyond treatment to a cure for HIV.
About Lentigen Technology
Lentigen focuses on harnessing the power of lentiviral gene delivery and expression technology for a wide variety of applications in biotechnology and medicine. As a leading expert for design, construction and production of lentiviral vectors, Lentigen has the expertise to support you in successfully translating your gene therapeutic strategy into the clinic.
Are you developing new technology? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.
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