Technology Overview

Novel Toll-like receptor 2 (“TLR2”) agonists endogenously derived from Bordetella pertussis , have been discovered and have considerable potential for the development of a more effective vaccine capable of generating protective cellular immunity against pathogens and other conditions such as cancer or allergic diseases and in particular against the re-emerging B. pertussis pathogen.

In recent years there has been a dramatic resurgence in the incidence of disease not only in infants but also in adolescents and young adults (). This is caused by antigenic variation in protective antigens and ineffective immunity induced with current vaccination regimes. Acellular vaccines, although safe, do not afford the same long-lasting immunity as the previously used whole-cell vaccine. Ultimately, improvements in the development of vaccines and in vaccination coverage will be essential to decrease the burden of pertussis on society.

Stage of development:

This technology has demonstrated that combining protective antigens with an adjuvant based on an endogenous TLR2 ligand from B. pertussis has considerable potential for the development of a more effective vaccine.

Applications

Whooping Cough is the most common vaccine-preventable disease in the world
16 million cases worldwide per annum
300,000 pertussis deaths in children every year

Novel Vaccine Components for Whooping Cough

Patents

IP Status