Presentation 10

Broad-Spectrum Antagonist Of Superantigen Toxins
Gila Arad 　--　Faculty of Medicine of The Hebrew University
Raymond Kaempfer　 --　Atox Bio Ltd.

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Bacterial superantigens, among the most lethal of toxins, are causative agents of toxic and Garm-positive septic shock. A family of superantigens is produced by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus bacteria, comprising > 40 toxins highly different in structure. Superantigens vastly overstimulate the immune response, leading to incapacitation, systems failure, shock and death. As such, superantigen toxins constitute a major unsolved medical problem and bioterror threat. Yet, no drug or vaccine is available. Our understanding of the mechanism of action of superantigens led us to design peptides that block the action of these toxins at a critical step, preventing their harmful effect on human immune cells.

These peptides fully protect animals from lethal toxin challenge and from incapacitation, and they can rescue animals already deeply into shock, suggestive of clinical utility. The peptide antagonists target a common event in the toxicity cascade, utilized by all superantigen toxins, rendering them broadly effective against diverse toxins.

The US NIAID recently awarded us a $5.6 million Biodefense Challenge Grant to support research and development leading to FDA approval of a candidate superantigen antagonist for biodefense. Our peptides function not only as toxin antagonists but alter the immune responxe balance, acting as immunomodulators that may have novel applications, for example, in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, a major market.

Using the same platform technology, we are now developing, with Atox Bio which holds the license to the intellectual property, therapeutics aimed at meeting an unmet medical need: treatment of diseases mediated by excessive T-cell activation.

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http://www.atoxbio.com/
http://www.md.huji.ac.il/
http://www.israelroadshow.com/cb_atox.asp