Silicon dioxide nanoparticles and the use thereof for vaccination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9433673-B2
Application number	US-201514611891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2008
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to ultrasmall, monodisperse nanoparticles comprising silicon dioxide to the surface of which at least one antigen is attached. The nanoparticles can be used for the immunoprophylaxis or immunotherapy of cancer. The invention also relates to a method for the targeting of antigens at antigen-presenting cells and for the activation of the immune system, where the efficiency of targeting and/or immunoactivation are set via the particle characteristics. The invention also relates to a method for the active and passive immunization of a mammal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the activation of the immune system of a patient in need thereof and providing an adjuvant immune response, comprising parenterally administering to a patient in need thereof, monodisperse nanoparticles of silicon dioxide, where the nanoparticles have a diameter of 5 to 50 nm and are free of additional adjuvants.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient is suffering from an infectious disease, septic shock, a tumor, cancer, an autoimmune disease, an allergic or a chronic or acute inflammation process.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a size between 20 and 30 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 , for activating the complement system of the immune system in a patient in need thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are passively targeted at antigen-presenting cells.

6. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising administering an antigen, and thereby targeting the antigen at antigen-presenting cells.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antigen is targeted at dendritic cells in lymph nodes.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antigen is attached to a surface functionality on the nanoparticles.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antigen is a cancer antigen.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the antigen is survivin.

11. A method for the induction of a T-cell response, antibody response and/or dendritic cell maturation in a mammal, comprising administering an effective amount of a monodispersion of nanoparticles having a diameter of 5 to 50 nm suitable for parenteral administration and a solvent to said mammal,
wherein the nanoparticles comprise
a) a silicon dioxide matrix, and
b) a surface functionality to which an antigen to be targeted is attached,

with the proviso that neither said surface functionality nor said antigen is a major histocompatibility (MHC) molecule, and
wherein the proliferation of T-cells and/or dendritic cells and/or the formation of neutralizing antibodies is induced.

12. A method for the passive immunization of a mammal, comprising isolating T-cells proliferated by and/or antibodies formed by the method of claim 11 , and administering said T-cells and/or antibodies to a mammal.

Assignees

• Merck Patent Gmbh

Inventors

• Weigandt Markus
• Hanefeld Andrea
• Kuebelbeck Armin
• Larbig Gregor

Classifications

• A61P37/06

  Immunosuppressants, e.g. drugs for graft rejection · CPC title

• A61P37/02

  Immunomodulators · CPC title

• A61P37/00

  Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders · CPC title

• A61P37/08

  Antiallergic agents (antiasthmatic agents A61P11/06; ophthalmic antiallergics A61P27/14) · CPC title

• A61P37/04

  Immunostimulants · CPC title