FRAP-targeted vaccine and drug-screening platform for malaria
Researchers identified a protein found in malaria parasites (Plasmodium) called FRAP that plays two key roles: helping the parasite stick to and invade human blood cells, and helping it neutralize the toxic byproducts of digesting hemoglobin. By targeting this protein, new vaccines, antibodies, or drugs could block the parasite's ability to infect and survive inside the human body. The patent covers the protein itself, methods for making vaccines based on it, and tools for screening drugs that interfere with its function. This essentially hands developers a validated molecular target and a toolkit for building anti-malarial therapeutics around it.
What you could build
A subunit vaccine candidate or antibody therapeutic targeting the FRAP protein in Plasmodium, sold to global health organizations, governments, or pharma companies running malaria vaccine programs; also licensable as a drug-screening assay platform to biotech companies developing next-generation antiparasitics.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense and global health contractors headquartered in Northern Virginia (e.g., SAIC, Leidos, MITRE health divisions) or NIH/BARDA-connected biotech spinouts in the DC metro area that work on infectious disease countermeasures.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Dharmendar Rathore, Dewal Jani, Rana Nagarkatti
- Granted
- October 21, 2008
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 7438916
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.