Descripción del proyecto
Desarrollo rápido de vacunas glucoconjugadas contra las infecciones
Las infecciones bacterianas suponen una importante carga médica y socioeconómica, y el aumento de las bacterias resistentes a los antimicrobianos exige nuevos planteamientos de los tratamientos. Las vacunas glucoconjugadas desempeñan un papel fundamental en la lucha contra estas cepas bacterianas al conectar los antígenos a los portadores, lo que da lugar a una inmunidad a largo plazo. El equipo del proyecto ACINETWORK, financiado con fondos europeos, se dedica a desarrollar una vacuna contra las cepas de «Acinetobacter baumannii», conocidas por causar infecciones graves. En la actualidad, no existe ninguna vacuna contra estas cepas. El objetivo del proyecto es aprovechar los antígenos oligosacáridos sintéticos para crear vacunas caracterizadas por una composición bien definida, mayor pureza y mejores perfiles de seguridad. Este método es más rápido y rentable. Además, el equipo del proyecto pretende formar a jóvenes expertos en el diseño de estas soluciones médicas.
Objetivo
Bacterial infections are a societal burden with profound medical and socio-economic impacts. Although antibiotics can be effective, the continuous emergence of bacteria with antimicrobial resistance calls for the introduction of novel therapeutics. In this regard, glycoconjugate vaccines (GV) hold a prominent role in the fight against AMR bacterial strains. They are based on the chemical conjugation of one or more pathogen-associated saccharide antigens to immunogenic carriers, leading to a long-term protective immunity. ACINETWORK will focus on the development of GV against severe and life-threatening infections caused by antimicrobial resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains, which are a major cause of nosocomial diseases and for which no vaccine exists. ACINETWORK wants to overcome the limitations of currently licensed GV, due to highly heterogeneous composition and batch wise variability, by innovatively using structurally-defined synthetic oligosaccharide antigens to develop GV with well-defined composition, higher purity and better safety profiles. The manufacturing of such GV is also more rapid and cost-effective. Thus, this project will set synthesis and testing pipelines that will serve as the prototype for the development of GV against other bacteria. The ACINETWORK consortium comprises universities and SMEs with a unique complementary expertise, ranging from carbohydrate chemistry to nanotechnology, immunology and microbiology, which garantees the realization of the new GV. The goal of ACINETWORK is to also forge 10 young experts in the design of these novel medical solutions with an integrated training program, which will equip them with a large battery of scientific and transferable skills. The multidisciplinarity of the consortium ensures a fertile and stimulating environment in which these young researchers will acquire unique competencies in vaccine design, development and production, which will be central at putting Europe at the forefront of GV.
Ámbito científico
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantibiotics
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistancemultidrug resistance
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistanceantibiotic resistance
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral NetworksCoordinador
20122 Milano
Italia