ETH-Zürich: Anthrax detection system available for licensing

Licensing Opportunity

Researchers at ETH-Zürich have developed new monoclonal antibodies against anthrax spores based on a unique surface carbohydrate.  With possible applications including a fast and sensitive method of detecting anthrax in the case of biological warfare or for use in veterinary diagnosis, the spore-detection system is available for out-licensing.

Anthrax, a disease that previously threatened mainly life stock, has become a source of terror for civilian populations. There is a clear need for early diagnosis of B. anthracis in order to prevent innocent people for bioterrorism attacks.

Biology and pathogenesis has been studied in search for improved Anthrax detection methods. This invention focuses on a new and very promising monoclonal antibody to detect B. anthracis spores.

Invention

Recently, the structure of a tetrasaccharide carried by the exosporium glycoprotein BclA of B. anthracis was elucidated. The tetrasaccharide consists of three rhamnose residues and a unique monosaccharide – anthrose. Carbohydrate-protein conjugates containing the synthetic B. anthracis tetrasaccharide, were employed to immunize mice.

Monoclonal Antibody, MTA1, was purified using protein A affinity chromatography and cross-reacted with spores of a panel of 12 different virulent B. anthracis strains. Strainspecific multiple-band patterns were observed in immunoblotting experiments with spore extracts. Variations in the band patterns were not only related to differences in the length of the collagen-like regions of the BclA protein, but also to the general genetic background of individual strains.

While immune sera and monoclonal antibodies derived from tetrasaccharide immunized mice cross-reacted with some of the B. cereus strains tested, no cross-reactivity was seen with B. cereus strains belonging to the Cereus I lineage that is phylogenetically most closely related to B. anthracis. Although not strictly specific for B. anthracis spores, antibodies against the BclA-associated tetrasaccharide may have great potential as immuno-capturing components for a highly sensitive spore detection system.

Field of Application

• Diagnosis of Anthrax spores
• Prevention in biologicial warfare
• Prevention to terror attacks
• Veterinary diagnostics

Main Advantages

• Monoclonal antibody to a unique tetrasaccharide of B. anthracis
• Highly sensitive antibody
• Detection of all common B. anthracis strains
• High potential as fast and sensitive Anthrax diagnostic test

Patent status

• Patent pending PCT

Ref. No. T-06-032