Project description
A new age of vaccines for gastrointestinal mucosal pathogens
In recent years, addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a threat that could jeopardise large segments of the global population, has been highlighted as an urgent issue. Unfortunately, the task of developing novel vaccines remains highly challenging, particularly for those tackling bacterial infections affecting specific areas such as the gastrointestinal tract. In this context, the EU-funded Vax2Muc project will concentrate on the development of novel vaccination technologies which overcome local tolerance and induce protective immunity on mucosal surfaces. Helicobacter pylori, a chronic bacterial infection, is used as a model organism to evaluate, optimise and prioritise different vaccination strategies. This infection is known to afflict approximately 50 % of the population and has the potential to progress into gastric cancer. The project’s objectives include the thorough evaluation of vaccine candidates in terms of both immunogenicity and safety.
Objective
To overcome antimicrobial resistance (AMR) compromising global public health, novel strategies to develop next generation vaccines against AMR pathogens are required. However, the development of effective vaccines is challenging for bacterial infections occurring at mucosal sites, in particular in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this context, H. pylori is listed as high priority AMR pathogen and the most common chronic bacterial infection affecting half of the world’s population with a high risk to progress into gastric cancer. Previous failures in H. pylori vaccine development approaches suggest that induction of mucosal immunity is required for protection. Thus, Vax2Muc will develop a rational prophylactic lead candidate against H. pylori in a straight-forward manner and directly evaluate this candidate for safety and immunogenicity in a phase I clinical trial, serving as proof-of-concept for novel vaccine technologies developed in Vax2Muc. To induce long-term protective mucosal immune responses sustained by tissue resident memory T cells, we will apply our previously identified vaccine antigens, combined with potent adjuvants for a systemic prime, and implemented in an innovative oro-mucosal film for a mucosal pull. Vax2Muc will further advance GMP manufacturing, and investigate and progress novel vaccine technologies and strategies tailored for mucosal application. We will evaluate our lead candidate and alternative approaches in pre-clinical mouse and pig models to define meaningful correlates of immunity and protection, which are still lacking for most of GI/AMR infections. Thus, Vax2Muc will deliver (i) a prophylactic vaccine candidate against H. pylori as PoC, and (ii) a wealth of knowledge and technologies that can be translated into the clinical development pipeline and are broadly applicable for various GI/AMR mucosal pathogens to significantly benefit the challenging field of mucosal vaccination and finally reduce disease burden from AMR/GI diseases.
Fields of science
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic health
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistanceantibiotic resistance
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
80333 Muenchen
Germany