Out-licensing

The antibody detects a protein of Candida famata and is useful for detection of candidiasis and retinopathies in samples from blood, urine, aqueous humour, vitreous humour, and cerebral spinal fluid without interference from other species of Candida

 

Candidiasis is a group of fungal infections that affect skin, eye, digestive and respiratory systems. Candidiasis is the most common fungal infection in humans.

Candida famata has been identified as the origin of AZOOR (Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy). This disease is a heterogeneous group of retinopathies and is characterized by a loss of vision (blindness) and the presence of white dots in the retina.

CSIC and the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid have developed several antibodies, and the monoclonal antibody with highest affinity against C. famata has been selected. This antibody recognizes the protein gliceraldehyde-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in denaturing and native conditions. This fact shows that the epitope recognized by the antibody is an aminoacid sequence of GAPDH and not a conformation or structure of the protein. The antibody is highly specific and it doesn’t recognize GAPDH from other species of Candida.

In experiments with blood samples from patients, the antibody detected the presence of C. famata in all the patients infected by this microorganism.

Main advantages

Microscopic observation and microbiological cultures are two methods used to detect Candida infections. However:

• Although microscopic observation is a fast method, it can offer false positives.
• Microbiological cultures require days due to the slow growth of fungi.

An alternative method is the fungal DNA detection by PCR. It’s very sensitive and fast, but it can offer false positives in the presence of sample contamination because of its high sensitivity.

Other alternative methods are infection markers detection:

• D-arabinitol, a metabolite produced by certain Candida species. But Candida famata does not contain this marker, and gives also false positives in patients with kidney failure.
• β-1,3-D-glucan, yeast and filamentous fungi cellular wall component. However, the method leads to false positives in patients in haemodialysis, or in treatment with albumin, immunoglobulins, anticancer agents and sulfamides.

In contrast with that, the method based in the developed monoclonal antibody:

• Is fast (6 hours)
• Specific for Candida famata
• It doesn’t produce false positives in patients with kidney failure or in haemodialysis
• It can be used for ELISA, Western Blot and Slot-Blot (native conditions) essays

Besides, the antibody is highly useful for monitoring the efficacy of antifungal treatments against Candida

Preclinical

PCT Application filed.

Pharma and biotech companies are sought for exploitation under a patent licence agreement.

P200930966