Featured Technologies   View all Featured Technologies Chimeric Peptide Antigen Library: A Novel Tool for the Development of Vaccines Against Variable Pathogens such as HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C and Malaria Description of Technology: Many pathogens of dangerous human diseases such as HIV-1, HIV-2, viruses of hepatitis B and C, virus of influenza, viruses of dengue fever of types 1-4, pathogens of malaria and tuberculosis all possess significant variability. Libraries of chimeric peptides, which imitate the genetic variability of the variable sections of the pathogenic protein, can cause a defensive immune response to the wide spectrum of the pathogen diversity. The immunogenic collections of chimeric peptides (libraries of variable chimeric peptides) in total reflect the natural and potential variability of the sections which determine antigenic activity. The present invention relates to antigenic peptides, the methods of their preparation and their peptide libraries and it can be used for preparation of vaccines and medicine diagnostics. More specifically, the invention describes that the number of sequences in the library (size of library) is equal to the product of the number of possible residues in each position of peptide. The size of library can be reduced by sequential removal of residues which have the lowest frequency until the size will reach the required value. Applications: Variable chimeric peptide libraries (VPCLs) can help construct effective vaccines capable of treating variable infectious agents such as HIV, TB, and Malaria. Advantages: VPCLs represent naturally occurring and potential variability of antigenically active regions in one vaccine. Such VPCLs can induce production of a wide range of antibodies and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) with joint specificity that covers the diversity of antigenic variants of the variable infectious agent. Benefits: Several million people worldwide are suffering from diseases caused by variable pathogens. Variable pathogens important for human health include but are not limited to HIV, hepatitis, influenza, malaria and tuberculosis. The HIV market is currently $10 billion US dollars. Additionally, the HIV market is forecast to grow at a rate of 10.3% over the next five years. Development Status: Method of constructing VPCLs has been established. Inventors: Amir Maksyutov et al. Patent Status: DHHS Reference No. E-167-2007/0 -- PCT Patent Application PCT/RU2003/000421 was filed 25 Sep 2003 Relevant Publication: PCT Publication -- Antigenic Peptides Portfolio: Infectious Diseases - Vaccines, viral For additional information, please contact: Betty Tong, Ph.D. Office of Technology Transfer National Institutes of Health 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325 Rockville MD 20852 Phone: 301/594-6565 Fax: 301/402-0220 Email: tongb@mail.nih.gov