A Natural Mouse Model that Enables the Discovery and Characterization of Bacterial and Host Factors that Mediate Neisseria Colonization and Persistence, and Targets for Vaccines and Antimicrobials

Case ID:
UA18-244
Invention:

This technology is a natural small animal model that circumvents the barriers of host restriction, often seen when studying Neisseria species. This model can be used to study host determinants controlling colonization resistance and factors involved in Neisseria-host interactions and screening therapeutics and vaccines against Neisseria.

 

Background:
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ngo) and Neisseria meningitidis (Nme) cause several high impact diseases in humans, most notably gonorrhea and meningitis. Ngo causes more than 160 million new infections each year, has developed antibiotic resistance and no vaccine exists. The absence of a valid animal model is the biggest barrier to understanding how Ngo and Nme cause infection.   

 

Applications:

  • Vaccine/antimicrobial research and development
  • Laboratory research
  • Method of screening therapeutic candidates for treatment or prevention of bacterial infection


Advantages:

  • Does not require the use of antibiotics, hormones, invasive procedures or genetic manipulation
  • Assesses vaccine efficacy
  • Provides a tool for development and validation of Nme and Ngo targeting compounds
Patent Information:
Contact For More Information:
Tod McCauley
Assistant Director of Licensing, CALS
The University of Arizona
520-621-9493
todm@tla.arizona.edu
Lead Inventor(s):
Magdalene So
Jeffrey Frelinger
Man Cheong Ma
Daniel Powell
Katherine Rhodes
Nathan Weyand
Keywords: