Patent ID: 6440408
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: A61K,A61P

Abstract:
A method of improving the safety of a live bacterial vaccine that produces protective immunity against a bacterial disease in a subject, said method comprising:administering to the subject a vaccine conjugate comprising a live pathogenic bacteria and a neutralizing factor bound to the live bacteria, the neutralizing factor selected from the group consisting of neutralizing antibodies and neutralizing antibody fragments which are capable of neutralizing the live bacteria; wherein the neutralizing factor is provided in the vaccine conjugate in an amount that temporarily neutralizes the live bacteria, so that the pathogenic effects of the live bacteria in the vaccine are delayed due to the addition of the neutralizing factor as compared with the pathogenic effects of the live bacteria in the absence of the neutralizing factor, and the live bacteria retains the ability to replicate and infect the subject and induce a protective immune response against a later challenge with the live bacteria in the subject.