AFFiRiS has announced the start of the pre-clinical development of its first Parkinson’s vaccine PD01. The vaccine will be investigated for efficacy (”proof of concept”) in Parkinson models. On successful conclusion of this preclinical evaluation, initial clinical testing could start in 2010/11. The Parkinson’s vaccine specifically targets the alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) protein, which is considered to be a key contributory element in Parkinson’s disease. There is clear scientific evidence that the concentration and enrichment of alpha-syn in the brain are contributing factors in the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

A new vaccine principle is being developed by scientists at the University of Copenhagen which if it works to its full expected potential could help to save millions of lives and revolutionise current vaccine technology. The ‘InVacc’ platform, as it is known, represents an advance on the original DNA vaccines and generates new vaccines with greatly enhanced properties. The platform consists of a chain of amino acids attached to a gene of the virus being vaccinated against.

After two years of its approval, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has detected no major problems with the safety of the HPV vaccine, Gardasil. The vaccine is used to protect against infection caused by the sexually transmitted virus, the HPV, that leads to genital warts and cervical cancer. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the vaccination of girls at the age of 11 (much before they turn sexually active). No serious side effects have been found.

MedImmune has licensed the use of its proprietary reverse genetics technology by a Hungary-based manufacturing and research firm, Omnivest, to develop new vaccine strains for the production of non-live vaccines for influenza in humans. The technology enables generation of viruses such as influenza from segments of DNA. It requires the manufacturers to work only with segments of genome of the virus and not directly with highly infectious strains. Before this, MedImmune has licensed the technology to CSL Limited (Australia), sanofi pasteur, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline and BIKEN (Japan).

ImmunoVaccine Technologies‘ DepoVax, depot vaccine formulation, has shown positive results in pre-clinical phase. The patented product has achieved single-dose efficacy in the treatment of cancer and other infectious disease vaccine models. Based on a new approach that uses liposomes which encapsulate a target antigen and adjuvant, DepoVax relies on a hydrophobic oil carrier that enhances vaccine induced cell-mediated immunity significantly.

Recent clinical studies at the Institute of Virology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam
have concluded that GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) H5N1 adjuvanted pre-pandemic influenza vaccine, Prepandrix™, gives broad cross-clade immunity. This immunity is maintained when the second dose is given months after the first dose. Even if the second dose is formulated from a different H5N1 strain, the immunity stays. A pre-pandemic influenza vaccine can be produced in advance and stored and can be readily available when WHO declares a pandemic.

A recent research carried out jointly by scientists from the universities of Bristol and Harvard has shown the way in which immune system can detect and destroy the bacterium, pneumococcus. It paves the way for the development of a novel vaccine for the prevention of diseases like meningitis and pneumonia that are found in both children and adults. Many infections start because of the carriage of this bug in the nose.  The existing vaccines for these diseases are not suitable for use in poorer countries as they are too expensive. Immune cells called TH17 cells have been identified as beneficial in killing this bug.

Merck’s cervical vaccine Gardasil has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for protection against vaginal and vulvar cancers caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) types 16 and 18 for females aged from 9 to 26. The vaccine is already used for prevention of cervical cancer, approval for which was given by FDA in 2006. Gardasil does not work if you are already infected when you become vaccinated. Women should undergo regular screening to get precancerous lesions detected and receive treatment before cancer.

A recent study has concluded that the Novartis Meningitis B vaccine, in its investigational stage, may be the first to protect infants six months and older against multiple strains of potentially deadly meningococcal B bacteria. Almost all of the infants (six to 12 months old) enrolled in the study gave a positive and fast response to it.. The meningococcal B strains are one of the major causes of bacterial meningitis throughout the world. Novartis MenB vaccine contains multiple bacterial surface proteins (antigens) that are believed to be found in most meningococcal B strains.

Novavax Inc. declared that its candidate for the vaccine against pandemic influenza virus-like particle (VLP)  has shown favorable results for the second stage of the Phase I/IIa of the human clinical trial. The vaccine candidate, which does not include an adjuvant, induced robust neutralizing antibody titers across all three doses tested. Avian influenza, the disease that the vaccine will prevent, emerged in humans in 2005 in Indonesia. 81% of  the 135 documented human cases have been fatal. The safety report for the trial is pending, but no adverse case has been reported.