improved t-cell immune response - Isis Project No 2101

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 defeat many important diseases, such as cancer and malaria, many scientists believe that it is necessary to recruit the cellular arm of the immune system to the fight. This is done through a particular type of immunisation which presents the foreign material to be rejected by the body, the antigen, in a special carrier or vector such as a virus. There is currently much research effort being expended with the aim of increasing the T-cell response in order to make the immunisation more effective.

The Oxford Invention

Researchers in Oxford University have found a simple but effective method for substantially improving the T-cell immune response to an antigen. This method works as an add-on to current standard T-cell vaccination techniques but would not require extra immunisation steps to be performed on the patient. The method includes the use of anti-CD25 antibodies and, in a variety of immunisation protocols, better immune responses are seen with this strategy than have so far been observed by the researchers using any other techniques. Whereas it was initially thought that the anti-CD25 antibodies were depleting regulatory T-cells, new data show that the low doses of antibodies do not deplete this population, but instead increase responses via modulation of IL-2. This is of potential benefit in terms of avoiding the risk of autoimmunity.

Advantages

This novel approach may lead to more effective prophylactic and therapeutic immunisations, allowing currently untreatable diseases to be defeated by a person’s own immune system.  Due to the particular nature of the method, it should be possible to use it in combination with those T-cell immunisation products already in development by a company.

Commercialisation

A patent has been filed on this method and Isis would like to talk any parties who would be interested in developing the technology further into the clinical setting.

Request Further Information: Project Number 2101 IMPROVED T-CELL IMMUNE RESPONSE