CRM197 (Cross-Reactive Material 197)
Vaccine Research:
Our research focuses on developing next generation platform technology to create new conjugate vaccines against infectious diseases. Current conjugate vaccines work well but suffer from high cost, the need for multiple injects for a complete immune response, difficult manufacturing, and cold storage requirements. Our research focuses on reducing these disadvantages and making improvements to existing conjugate vaccine platforms through combinations of protein engineering, structural and molecular biology, bioinformatics, and synthetic organic chemistry. This research is making improvements to a carrier protein (cross reactive material 197 or CRM197) currently used in FDA-approved conjugate vaccines. The CRM197 protein is investigated for improved thermostability, removal of its unneeded and potentially hazardous DNA degrading activity, and removing the residual diphtheria toxin activities. Our research works to improve both the manufacturing properties of the CRM197 carrier protein as well as help to develop better, safer, and lower cost vaccines to protect the lives of infants and young children around the world, particularly in developing countries that do not have access to the current generation of conjugate vaccines.
Our research focuses on developing next generation platform technology to create new conjugate vaccines against infectious diseases. Current conjugate vaccines work well but suffer from high cost, the need for multiple injects for a complete immune response, difficult manufacturing, and cold storage requirements. Our research focuses on reducing these disadvantages and making improvements to existing conjugate vaccine platforms through combinations of protein engineering, structural and molecular biology, bioinformatics, and synthetic organic chemistry. This research is making improvements to a carrier protein (cross reactive material 197 or CRM197) currently used in FDA-approved conjugate vaccines. The CRM197 protein is investigated for improved thermostability, removal of its unneeded and potentially hazardous DNA degrading activity, and removing the residual diphtheria toxin activities. Our research works to improve both the manufacturing properties of the CRM197 carrier protein as well as help to develop better, safer, and lower cost vaccines to protect the lives of infants and young children around the world, particularly in developing countries that do not have access to the current generation of conjugate vaccines.
CRM197-based Conjugate Vaccines:
- Pfizer
- Prevnar 13 (Pneumococcal)
- 4-Antigen Staphylococcus Aureus Vaccine (SA4Ag) (PF-06290510)
- Smoking cessation (PF-05402536)
- Merck
- 15-Valent Pneumoconjugate (Pneumococcal)
- GSK
- Group B Streptococcus
- S. pneumoniae next generation
- Shigella
- Neuron
- HibTiter (Haemophilus b)
- Meningitec (Meningococcal serogroup C)