Work

Pre-clinical development of a vaccine for human lymphatic filariasis

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: This study was conducted to optimize a fusion protein vaccine for translational development as a vaccine against the human tropical parasitic infection, lymphatic filariasis (LF). The vaccine candidate, His-tagged r Bm HAXT was developed previously in our laboratory and was tested in various animal models including mouse, gerbils and Rhesus macaque where it exhibited significant levels of vaccine-induced protection. However, for commercial manufacturing and for regulatory approval for human use, there was a need to modify the vaccine antigen and its production and analytical release methods. Therefore, the major focus of this study was to develop a process for manufacturing an affinity tag-free r Bm HAXT and evaluate its immunogenicity, potency and protective efficacy in both inbred and outbred mouse models, as well as in outbred gerbil models. Our results demonstrate that the tag-free r Bm HAXT vaccine produced with a process suitable for cGMP production had protective properties equivalent to the original His-tagged r Bm HAXT.

Source: Frontiers in Tropical Diseases

DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.998353