Vical (VICL) Reports Development of Vaxfectin-Formulated DNA Vaccine Candidate
Tweet
Share
E-mailGet Alerts VICL Hot Sheet
Join SI Premium – FREE
Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) reports that researchers at Ehime University in Japan and their collaborators have developed a Vaxfectin-formulated DNA vaccine candidate with the potential to prevent transmission of malaria.
Results of the initial testing, recently published in the journal Vaccine1, demonstrated that the malaria parasite life cycle was interrupted in mosquitoes fed with malaria-infected human red blood cells incubated with serum from vaccinated mice. Vical provided the DNA vaccine plasmid backbone and the adjuvant used in the research.
The malaria parasite advances through several life cycle stages in humans and through additional life cycle stages in mosquitoes. The transmission-blocking DNA vaccine candidate, formulated with Vical's Vaxfectin® adjuvant, expresses the Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite protein Pvs230, which is present in both human and mosquito stages of the parasite's life cycle. Anti-Pvs230 antibodies generated by vaccinated mice recognized the Pvs230 protein and interrupted the parasite's development in mosquitoes. The amino acid sequence of Pvs230 protein is also highly conserved among multiple field isolates of P. vivax, increasing the potential for a single vaccine to provide broad protection.
The mouse-generated Pvs230 antibodies, incubated with P. vivax-infected human red blood cells and then fed to mosquitoes, statistically reduced the number of parasites and the infection rate in mosquitoes. A Vaxfectin®-formulated malaria vaccine therefore has the potential to interfere with the transmission of P. vivax to humans through mosquitoes. This novel transmission-blocking approach may thereby protect the broader population from widespread malaria outbreaks. Further study of the vaccine candidate has been proposed by the authors.
Results of the initial testing, recently published in the journal Vaccine1, demonstrated that the malaria parasite life cycle was interrupted in mosquitoes fed with malaria-infected human red blood cells incubated with serum from vaccinated mice. Vical provided the DNA vaccine plasmid backbone and the adjuvant used in the research.
The malaria parasite advances through several life cycle stages in humans and through additional life cycle stages in mosquitoes. The transmission-blocking DNA vaccine candidate, formulated with Vical's Vaxfectin® adjuvant, expresses the Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite protein Pvs230, which is present in both human and mosquito stages of the parasite's life cycle. Anti-Pvs230 antibodies generated by vaccinated mice recognized the Pvs230 protein and interrupted the parasite's development in mosquitoes. The amino acid sequence of Pvs230 protein is also highly conserved among multiple field isolates of P. vivax, increasing the potential for a single vaccine to provide broad protection.
The mouse-generated Pvs230 antibodies, incubated with P. vivax-infected human red blood cells and then fed to mosquitoes, statistically reduced the number of parasites and the infection rate in mosquitoes. A Vaxfectin®-formulated malaria vaccine therefore has the potential to interfere with the transmission of P. vivax to humans through mosquitoes. This novel transmission-blocking approach may thereby protect the broader population from widespread malaria outbreaks. Further study of the vaccine candidate has been proposed by the authors.
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- FDA authorizes 11 ZYN Ultra nicotine pouches for Philip Morris
- CoVolt Power files for proposed IPO
- enVVeno Medical (NVNO) files $100M mixed shelf
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
Corporate News, FDASign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!
