Title of Invention

VACCINE COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING GANGLIOSIDE FOR SUBSTANCEOUS ADMINISTRATION

Abstract The present invention relates to vaccine compositions containing a dissolution or aqueous dispersion of one or more ganglioside included in very small siz~ proteoliposomes (VSSP) in which the gangliosides included in VSSP are selected between N-AcGM3 and N-GcGM3 without any additional adjuvant, capable of stimulating the immune response by subcutaneous administration without any additional immunological adjuvant.
Full Text

Ganglioside based Vaccine compositions for subcutaneous administration.
Technical field: The current invention is referred to vaccine compositions for subcutaneous administration containing gangliosides useful for the immunological treatment of autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and tumors, without any additional adjuvant.
State of the previous art
For a long time it is known the intention of using as immunological treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer, for instance the USA -A-4965198 patent describes the use of ganglioside GM2 in the prevention and therapy of such diseases. In the filed patent EP-A-661061 and in the patent US-A-6149921, vaccine compositions are described in order to stimulate or increase the antibody response against a ganglioside which consists in an immunogen and an immunological adjuvant
The described immunogens are: VSSP (very small size posomes) constituted by the association of N-AcetylGM3 and N-GlycolylGM3 from now on: (N-AcGM3) and (N-GcGM3), with the outer membrane prater from Neisseria meningitidis.
Such immunogens from now on will be denominated N-AcGM3/VSSP and N-GcGM3/VSSP; they are very small size and practically invisible to the Electronic Microscope, water soluble and with increased floating capacity.
For the vaccine compositions described in EP-A-661061 and US-A-6149921 the utilization of an adjuvant, such as the very well known Freund incomplete adjuvant, was required.
In the filed patent WO-A-02145746 vaccine compositions are described containing (A) one or more antigens with low immunogenicity; (B) VSSP with incorporated gangliosides mainly N-AcGM3/VSSP and N-GcGM3/VSSP; and (C- everyally one or more adjuvants.
In the paper of Carr A. et al., published in Melanoma Ressarch. 2901, Vol. 11, pp 219-227, the anti-tumor activity of a vaccine containing ?v-AcGM3 ganglioside in mice bearing melanoma B16 is described.

In that article the influence of the presence of an immunological adjuvant, especially the complete Freund's adjuvant or the incomplete Freund's like adjuvant Montanide ISA 51, is also studied. The vaccines were administered intramuscularly and the emerging conclusion is that mice immunized with N-AcGM3»VSSP, with any of the adjuvants, Freund or Montanide ISA 51, showed IgM and IgG anfr-N-AcGM3 responses at week 8th (Table 1). In contrast, the N-AcGM3A/SSP vaccine without any adjuvant did not show any immunogenic response (page 223, right column).
Therefore the state of the art teaches that vaccines containing VSSP conjugated with gangliosides should be formulated with adjuvants, mainly the Freund's (complete or incomplete) or Montanide ISA 51.
However it is very well known that when they are parentherally administered, such adjuvants, particularly the Freund's complete adjuvant, provoke some inconvenient side effects such as chronic inflammation in the injection site, eventual granulomas and sterile abscess or ulcerative necrosis in tissues. Montanide ISA 51 is less aggressive but also can cause some inflammatory disorders.
It would be very desirable from the point of view of their applications in the immunological treatments of autoimmune, infectious and tumoral diseases to have new gangliosides vaccine compositions which are less aggressive in the rysaar sfe and that could be more easily used with less inconvenient for the patients.
The authors of the present invention have discovered that the gangfioside based vaccines formulated with VSSP, when administered subcutaneously can be used without any adjuvants while there still be present the relevant immunological properties.
The aims of the present invention are new vaccine compositions included in VSSP, preferably N-AcGM3A/SSP and N-GcGM3A/SSP, which do not contain any immunological adjuvant and are administered subcutaneously.
Is also an objective of the present invention a method for the treatment of a patient who required a reinforcement of their immunological response consisting in the subcutaneous administration of the ganglioside vaccine compositions, preferably N-AcGM3A/SSP and N-GcGM3A/SSP, which do not contain any imrnunacx?ca adjuvant.
Is also the objective of the present invention N-AcG*BV»F and /or N-GcGM3A/SSP vaccine compositions not containing other antigenic corraansns different from gangliosides or any other immunological adjuvants and a^e administered subcutaneously.

Detailed description of the invention
The vaccine compositions objectives of the present invention consist in the dissolution or aqueous dispersion of one or more gangliosides and their inclusion into the OMP of the N. meningitidis (VSSP), capable of stimulate the immunological response by subcutaneous administration without any additional immunological adjuvant.
VSSP are highly stable ganglioside hydrophobic associations with the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis, without the necessity of covalent links. Such gangliosides-proteins systems are described in detail in patents EP-A-661061 and US-A-6149921, and also in different publications for instance, Estevez et al. Vaccine, 1999; Vol. 18(1-2): pp 190-197. In such documents the procedure for obtaining them is also described.
Among the gangliosides included in VSSP results a preference of the present invention the N-AcGM3 and N-GcGM3, being specially preferred the N-AcGM3.
A detailed description of the immunogenicity of both conjugated gangliosides as well as their application as anticancer agents and simuiants of the acquired immunity can be found in the above mentioned docurnens anc in lhe review article :Bitton R. Et al., Oncology Reports (2002), Vol 9, pp 257-273 andn recent communications and scientific meetings for instance The 6th Latin-American Congress of Immunology which took place in Havana on December 9, 2002, communication of Saurez G. et al. "Phase I clinical trial of the ganglioside cancer vaccine N-Acetil-GM3A/SSP/Montanide ISA 51 in advanced breast cancer patients".
The vaccine compositions not containing other antigenic components than gangliosides are the preferred object of the invention being specially preferred those containing as unique immunogenic component N-AcGM3 (N-AcGM3/VSSP) and or N-GcGM3 (N-GcGM3/VSSP), being specially preferred those containing only N-AcGM3/VSSP.
The vaccine compositions object of the present inventio ar= solutions or aqueous dispersion of the VSSP which can eventually contain other -ovirritant water-compatible dissolvents normally used in pharmaceuticals for pararsnerai use as could be polyethylenglycol.

The conjugated ganglioside concentration in the sofcriions or aqueous dispersions is not critic and can be in the range 0,03 % - 3 % (w/v), preferably between 0,04 % and 2,5 % (w/v). The range of SC administered doses, used for the referred vaccines in the present invention, is between 50 ^g and 2, 4 mg, preferably between 200 (j,g and 2 mg.
An essential characteristic of the vaccine compositions, object of this invention, is that they are designed to be administered subcutaneously without any additional immunological adjuvant.
Immunological adjuvants are frequently used in vaccine formulations .Such adjuvants favored the immunogenic action in different ways:
Creating an antigen deposit in the injection site liberating or releasing the antigen
in a systematic form.
Helping the antigen to reach the spleen and the lymph nodes through the formation
of oily micro drops easily trapped by the macrophages
Activating directly or indirectly the cells involved in the immune response.
Most known immunological adjuvants are: Freund's, comoie and rxxxnpiete,
Montanide ISA, Ribi adjuvants, Hunter's TiterMax, r sate, Gerbu
adjuvant, QS-21, etc.
Surprisingly and unexpectedly the authors of the present invention have found that when gangliosidesA/SSP vaccines are administered SC the adjuvants can be completely eliminated. This was, in spite of the previous state of the art, excluded almost completely for the intramuscular administration.
Therefore the present invention represents undeniable advantages almost all when concerns the referred inflammatory problems locally derived from the use of adjuvants. This is a method of vaccination with gangliosides simple, with efficacy and less aggressive for the patients.
In the following examples the comparative experimented -detafe is included allowing to demonstrate the immunological efficacy of the vacc^e carpcssior without containing immunological adjuvants.

Example 1:
Using the procedure described in example 3 of US-A-6149921 patent an aqueous vaccine composition was prepared (buffer Tris-HCI) containing 2,4 mg/mL of N-AcGM3/V3SP. To an aliquot of such immunogen composition the same volume erf Itontanide ISA 51 adjuvant was added (Seppic Paris, France). At the same time to another aliquot an identical volume of buffer Tris-HCI was added. Two vaccine compositions were obtained:
A: Aqueous solution containing 1, 2 mg/mL N-AcGM3/VSSP.
B: Emulsion W/O containing 1, 2 mg/mL N-AcGM3/VSSP.
50 C57BL/6 female mice were selected with a body weight between 18-20 g, and organized in 5 experimental groups of 10 animals each.
Group 1 (control) animals were inoculated intramuscularly, at days 0, 14, 28 and 42, with 0, 1 mL of phosphate buffer saline (PBS).
Group 2 animals were inoculated intramuscularly, at days 0, 14, 28 y 42, with 0,1 mL of vaccine composition B (120 |ag of N-AcGM3/VSSP).
Group 3 (control) animals were inoculated subcutaneousy, at days 0, 14, 28 y 42, with 0, 1 mL (PBS).
Group 4animals were inoculated subcutaneously, a£ z&s Z. -4, 28 y 42, with 0, 1 mL of y/acc\ne composition B (120 \ig de N-AcGM3/VSSP).
Group 5 animals were inoculated subcutaneously, at days 0, 14, 28 y 42, with 0, 1 mL vaccine composition A (120 ^g de N-AcGM3/VSSP).
Mice in all Groups were challenged on day 63 with 5x103 cells of melanoma MB16F10 subcutaneously (0,2 mL).
The animals were individualized since day 0 and the following parameters were determined twice a week: tumor volume, survival, and time to progression. The results obtained were the following:
Tumor volume:
In Figure 1 tumor growth kinetic from each experimental group is shown. Mann-Whitney (two-tailed) U test was used to assess the statistical significance in the

paired groups of tumor volumes values from individualized animals on day 33rd after the tumor challenge.
This statistical method is especially appropriate for the evaluation of this kind of experiments in which there is a natural dispersion of data related to a biologic event.
The p value represent the probability associated with the practical value calculated from the sample and allows to define the nearness of the Alfa value ( significance ) calculated by the stadigraph and the actual data validating the nule hypothesis

0,05)
Results are shown in Figure 1 and Table 1
a: p value as result of the comparison of Group 2 vs. Group 1 b: p value as result of the comparison of Group 4 vs. Group 3 c: p value as result of the comparison of Group 5 vs Group 3
From Figure 1 and Table 1 it can be seen that mice in Group 5, vaccinated subcutaneously with a composition object of the present invention, shoav a significant decrease in the tumoral volume in relation to the other groups in the soenrent and the corresponding controls.

Survival
This parameter evaluates the capacity of vaccination to increase the life span of the immunized animals for a tumor as lethal as the MB16. Tire parameter is measured in days comparing with the survival in the non treated animals. For statistic significance is used the Log-Rank test.
Obtained values are shown in Figure 2 and Table 2. In Table 2 the phrase reference group X means the group which is compared with each column.

These results demonstrated that mice included in Group 5, SC vaccinated with the formulation object of the present invention showed the longest survival after the inoculation of the tumor.
Time to Progression
Time to progression is a parameter that evaluates the period that takes a tumor to be evident in each animal individually, measured since the moment of the inoculation. In table 3 the results are shown:


For mice which had not developed any tumor at the time of finishing the experiment the progression was considered as 60 days
The impact in prolonging the time to progression is obviously a parameter very desired to obtain significant differences in a vaccine against cancer and according to the results observed in Table 3 the animals of Group 5, SC vaccinated with the VSSP composition object of the present invention, showed the more relevant positive results.
Tumor regression
In Groups 4 and 5, corresponding to subcutaneous vaccination with and wetas. aqpjvant, an animal with tumor regression was observed. In the animal of Group 4 the tumor was measurable at day 19th of the inoculation keeping practically without any growth until day 35 which was found negative. The mouse of Group 5 showed the presence of tumor by palpation on day 26 of inoculation and was reported as negative on day 29th.
Overall Evaluation
The results of the experiments showed that the vaccine composition object of this invention increased the survival time and the time to progression, at 8-se same time decreasing the tumoral growth speed in a significant way in relation to the control group treated with PBS.
On the other hand the administration of a vaccine zaraaning the adjuvant Montanide ISA 51 only protected when administered snowing total inefficacy when administered subcutaneously-

In summary the subcutaneous vaccination with the vaccine compositions object of this invention showed superior results in relation to the results obtained with the intramuscular way with the vaccine compositions containing an adjuvam of tne Momanide type.
Brief description of the drawing.
Figure 1 represents a graphic showing the evolution of the tumor volume in 5 Groups of animals submitted to different vaccine treatments and challenged with malignant tumors.
Figure 2 represents a graphic which allows appreciating the survival parameter in the 5 Groups of experimental animals.




Ganglioside based Vaccine compositions for subcutaneous administration.
Claims:
1.- Vaccine compositions containing a dissolution or aqueous dispersion of one or more ganglioside included in VSSP, capable of stimulate the immune response by subcutaneous administration without any additional immunological adjuvant
2. - A vaccine composition according to Claim 1 in which the gangliosides included in VSSP are selected between N-AcGM3 and N-GcGM3.
3. -. - A vaccine composition according to Claim 2 in which the ganglioside included in VSSP is N-AcGM3.
4. -. - A vaccine composition according to Claim 1 in which the composition
do not contain other antigens different from gangliosides.
5. - Vaccine compositions according to claims 2 and 4 which contains as
unique immunological components N-AcGM3/VSSP and /or N-GcGM3/VSSP.
6. - A vaccine composition according to Claims 5 which contains as unique
component N-AcGM3/VSSP.
7. - A method for the treatment of patients who requires a forcement of
their immunological response that comprehends the subcutaneous of a
vaccine composition as described according to Claims 1 to 6.


Ganglioside based Vaccine compositions for subcutaneous administration
Summary
Vaccine compositions in which gangliosides and the OMP of NL meningitidis were 5 combined to form very small size proteoliposomes (VSSP) to be administered subcutaneously are described, these compositions do not require the use of any additional adjuvant.
The described compositions allow the immunological treatments with 10 gangliosides, particularly N-AcGM3A/SSP and N-GcGM3/VSSP, showing advantages due to the less aggressive reaction in the site of injection and can be used in a simpler way and better for the patients.


Documents:

2034-chenp-2005-claims.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-correspondnece-others.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-correspondnece-po.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-description(complete).pdf

2034-chenp-2005-drawings.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-form 1.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-form 18.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-form 3.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-form 5.pdf

2034-chenp-2005-pct.pdf


Patent Number 224517
Indian Patent Application Number 2034/CHENP/2005
PG Journal Number 49/2008
Publication Date 05-Dec-2008
Grant Date 16-Oct-2008
Date of Filing 25-Aug-2005
Name of Patentee CENTRO DE INMUNOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Applicant Address CALLE 216 ESQ., 15, ATABEY, PLAYA, 12100 CIUDAD DE LA HABANA,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 FERNANDEZ MOLINA LUIS, ENRRIQUE, CALLE 180 ENTRE 1 RA Y 5TA, EDIFICIO A3 APTO 13, FLORES, PLAYA, 12100 CIUDAD HADANA,
2 MESA PARDILLO, CIRCE CALLE 4TA NO. 66, ENTRE, CENTRAL Y SANTA MARIA, NALON, GUANABACOA, 11100 CIUDAD DE LA HABANA,
PCT International Classification Number A61K31/70
PCT International Application Number PCT/CU04/00003
PCT International Filing date 2004-02-27
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 47-2003 2003-02-27 Cuba