Helminths (including anthelmintic resistance) roadmap:
Vaccines
Roadmap for nematode vaccine development
Download Nematode Vaccine Roadmap5
DNA/RNA vaccines
Development of nucleic acid-based vaccines
Research Question
Attempting to avoid issues (folding/conformation/post-translational modifications) of recombinant protein-based vaccines by using mammalian expression in the parasite’s definitive host
Research Gaps and Challenges
- DNA vaccine approach has not worked as well in ruminants as in rodent models
- Regulatory issues, especially for use in food animals
Solution Routes
- DNA vaccines incorporating sequences of host cytokines to drive the immune response in correct direction
- Self-amplifying RNA technology
Dependencies
- How acceptable are nucleic acid-based vaccines for livestock i.e. food animals, GM etc.?
State Of the Art
- Bi-cistronic DNA vaccine technology incorporating cytokines well established e.g. in poultry vaccines.
- Self-replicating/amplifying technology based on alphavirus machinery commercially exploited by e.g. Glaxo and Tiba Biotech.
- DNA vaccine technology being used in goats for immunity against Haemonchus (Yan et al 2014)Self-replicating mRNA vaccines have not yet been widely tested for efficacy against multicellular parasites (schistosomes are exception to this – Tiba Biotech have recently presented some data on this at IVVN, London 2019)
Projects
What activities are planned or underway?
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the beta-tubulin gene and its relationship with treatment response to albendazole in human soil-transmitted helminths in Southern Mozambique
Planned Completion date 14/09/2022
Source Countries:
Netherlands
An integrated set of novel approaches to counter the emergence and proliferation of invasive and virulent soil-borne nematodes – Project part: Fostering nematode suppression in soils by cover crops and addition of biological antagonists in Organic Farming (NEM-EMERGE)
Planned Completion date 31/12/2027
Source Countries:
Denmark