J&J’s fusion protein for Staph infection; plus cGAS for Alzheimer’s and more

The Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), in collaboration with the Alexandria Center for Life Science unit of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, described in Cell Host & Microbe an anti-Staphylococcus aureus human mAb–centyrin fusion protein that prevented Staph infection in mouse models and synergized with vancomycin to enhance pathogen clearance.

The fusion protein, dubbed mAbtyrin SM1B74, circumvents 10 distinct S. aureus virulence strategies. It simultaneously targets multiple bacterial adhesins, resists proteolysis by bacterial protease GluV8, avoids Fc engagement by two S. aureus IgG-binding proteins, and neutralizes pore-forming leukocidins via fusion with anti-toxin centyrins...