Crucell presents encouraging results of its malaria vaccine program

17-Nov-2003

Dutch biotechnology company Crucell N.V. presented encouraging study results on the efficacy of an experimental malaria vaccine at this week's viral vectors & vaccines conference held in Las Vegas. The study is part of a close collaboration between Crucell and the Department of Medical and Molecular Parasitology at New York University (NYU) to provide proof of principle that a vaccine based on Crucell's AdVac(TM) technology1 is able to confer protection against malaria.

The studies presented at the conference show that a single shot of an experimental vaccine (a recombinant Adenovirus 35 (rAd35) vector expressing circumsporozoite protein (CSP)) protects mice against infection with the mouse malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii. Crucell has shown in earlier studies, conducted in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, that its rAd35-based vaccines are not hampered by pre-existing adenovirus 5 (Ad5) immunity. In contrast to Ad35, antibodies to Ad5 are widespread among humans of all ages and are known to lower the immune response and thereby impair rAd5-based vaccine efficacy. Despite this, the most commonly used recombinant vaccine systems are currently based on Ad5.

Internationally renowned Dr. Moriya Tsuji from NYU commented, "We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of rAd5-based malaria vaccines in mice without pre-existing Ad5 immunity. In the present studies we found that the CSP-specific immune responses as well as the protective anti-malarial immunity were as high for rAd35 as for rAd5. However, in view of the prevalent pre-existing immunity to rAd5 among humans, these results suggest the superiority of the rAd35 vector as a potentially more effective malaria vaccine vector."

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Antibodies are specialized molecules of our immune system that can specifically recognize and neutralize pathogens or foreign substances. Antibody research in biotech and pharma has recognized this natural defense potential and is working intensively to make it therapeutically useful. From monoclonal antibodies used against cancer or autoimmune diseases to antibody-drug conjugates that specifically transport drugs to disease cells - the possibilities are enormous

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Topic world Antibodies

Antibodies are specialized molecules of our immune system that can specifically recognize and neutralize pathogens or foreign substances. Antibody research in biotech and pharma has recognized this natural defense potential and is working intensively to make it therapeutically useful. From monoclonal antibodies used against cancer or autoimmune diseases to antibody-drug conjugates that specifically transport drugs to disease cells - the possibilities are enormous