Novel Paediatric Vaccine Adjuvant - Isis Project No 1444

A simple, robust, vaccination regime has been developed at Oxford, which uses a viral vector as an adjuvant to activate both cellular and humoral arms of the immune system. 

Background

In order to combat diseases more effectively, it is desirable to induce stronger immune responses by vaccination. However, vaccination methods that generate high level antibody responses can differ significantly from those that engender strong cell-mediated or T cell responses. For example, alum is a useful adjuvant for inducing antibodies but generates weak or negligible CD8+ T cell responses.  In contrast, heterologous prime-boost immunisation methods have induced strong T cell responses in humans, but only minimal antibody responses. However, immune protection against many diseases can be mediated by either T cells or antibodies at sufficient levels, and optimal protection may be achieved by inducing strong responses of both types.  However, no vaccination approach currently exists that allows strong responses of each type to be generated.

The Oxford Invention

Researchers at the University of Oxford, funded by the Wellcome Trust, have developed a vaccination regime whereby a virus is mixed with a material (antigen), which is intended to induce an antibody response.  The virus both stimulates a cellular response and also enhances (adjuvants) the antibody response to the co-administered antigen.  This result is in itself surprising, but it has also been found that the type of virus used affects the type of antibody response obtained. The approach has been validated with excellent results using MVA virus in combination with B.pertussis vaccine.

Advantages

A strong cellular and antibody response to the same vaccination regime should provide clinicians with much more effective vaccines for a number of diseases.  In addition, combinations of vaccines to different diseases could also be envisaged as a result of this method.  This would obviously have an impact on the cost of immunisation, and possibly also compliance.

Commercial Opportunity

A strong cellular and antibody response to the same vaccination regime should provide clinicians with much more effective vaccines for a number of diseases.  In addition, combinations of vaccines to different diseases could also be envisaged as a result of this method.  This would obviously have an impact on the cost of immunisation, and possibly also compliance

 

Request Further Information: Project Number 1444 NOVEL PAEDIATRIC VACCINE ADJUVANT