Vaccines, research

Darren R. Flower, Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research, High Street, Compton, Berkshire, RG20 7NN, UK. (darren.flower jenner.ac.uk). 

We would like to thank the Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research, the Leverhulme Trust, the Medical Research Council, Tenovus Scotland, the Wellcome Trust and the World Health Organisation for supporting our research on filarial nematodes. 

Saponins are a family of glycosides (sugar derivatives) widely distributed in plants. Each saponin consists of a sugar moiety bound to a sapogenin (either a steroid or a triterpene). The immunostimulatory properties of the saponin fraction isolated from the bark of Quillaja (a tree) has been long recognized. Quil A (which consists of a mixture of related saponins) is used as an adjuvant in selected veterinary vaccines. However, its haemolytic potential precludes its use in human vaccines. Research efforts continue in an attempt to identify individual saponins (or derivatives thereof) that would make safe and effective adjuvants for use in human medicine. 

Amselem, S., A.J. Domb, C.R. Alving, Lipospheres as Vaccine Carrier Systems Effects of Size, Charge, and Phospholipid Composition, Vaccine Research. 1, 383, 1992. 

Office of Vaccine Research Review M. Carolyn Hardegree, M.D. 

Current efforts in vaccine development have predominantly utilized clade B isolates, which represent the subtype in North America and Western Europe. There is also an increased interest in the development of clade A and C vaccines for the expanding pandemic in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. A concern in fhe clade-specific vaccine strategy is the potential inability to produce large amounts of vaccine specific for distinct clades. This leaves open the question of specific vs. cross-clade effectiveness. Choice of immunogen(s), adjuvant, dose, and mode of administration are also additional variables that must be addressed in candidate vaccine research. 

The field of vaccine research is very active. Exhibit 4.6 summarizes examples of some selected vaccines. Appendix 5 shows a table of the production methods for selected vaccines. 

Girard, M. P., Steele, D., Chaignat, C. L., and Kieny, M. P. (2006). A review of vaccine research and development Human enteric infections. Vaccine 24, 2732-2750. 

Marano, Nina, Coordinator, Anthrax Vaccine Research Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, telephone interview, July 11, 2001. 

U.S. Department of Defense, Report on Biological Warfare Defense Vaccine Research Development Programs, July 2001a. 

It is evident that currently vaccine research is a vigorous and developing topic but a number of goals remain elusive. For example, an ideal vaccine should elicit the required immunological response against specified pathogens, whether it requires a specialized delivery system or adjuvants. This entails comparison of the requirements for an ideal vaccine, with progress to date. 

We would like to thank all members of the formulation group in vaccines research for their suggestions and help. 

World Health Organization (WHO). 2005. State of the Art of New Vaccines Research and Development. Geneva WHO. 

Cohen. J. "Aids Vaccine Research," Science, 1820 [December 17, 1993). 

Rickard, M.D., Boddington, E.B. and McQuade, N. (1 977) Vaccination of lambs against Taenia ovis infection using antigens collected during in vitro cultivation of larvae passive protection via colostrum from vaccinated ewes and the duration of immunity from a single vaccination. Research in Veterinary Science 23, 368-371. 

Office of Therapeutic Research and Review, Division of Application Review and Policy Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Division of Vaccines and Related Product Applications Office of Blood Research and Review, Division of Blood Applications... 

Plasmids Ebola NIH Vaccine Research Center Phase 1... 

Because licensed vaccines are the focus of much attention in the public as well as in the vaccine research community, VIOLIN has two subdatabases that focus on licensed human and animal vaccines. The Huvax subdatabase (http //www.violinet.org/huvax) stores all licensed human vaccines in the USA and Canada. The data for these licensed human vaccines are annotated through manual curation and a vigorous review process. Huvax includes manually curated data including manufacturer, trade name, storage information, age at which the vaccine should be administered, and other relevant information. These vaccines are also listed by the CDC CVX codes (codes that indicate the product used in a vaccine) for tracking vaccination records. Huvax has provided cross-references based on these CDC CVX codes. Huvax provides ways for users to search, compare, and analyze licensed human vaccines. Various criteria can be used for querying human vaccines. Different vaccines can also be compared side by side. Vevax is a VIOLIN database of licensed veterinary vaccines (http //www. violinet.org/vevax). 

Lin HH, Zhang GL, Tongchusak S et al (2008) Evaluation of MHC-II peptide binding prediction servers applications for vaccine research. BMC Bioinformatics 9(Suppl 12) S22... 

David R. Brown, Ph.D. Pharmacology Section, Department of Veterinary PathoBiology and Mucosal and Vaccine Research Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A. 

Martin Friede World Health Organization, Initiative for Vaccine Research, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-12211, Geneva 27, Switzerland... 

Howevef despite the obvious impoteince of vaccines and society reUance on them, thee has been an overwhelming tend towari reduction in vaccine research and the mrmber of vaccine manufacturs. Few drug shortages would have caused the poUtical calamity that the 2005 influenza vaccine sht e in the... 

Bowen, J. Alpar, H. Phillpotts, R. Brown, M. Mucosal delivery of herpes simplex virus vaccine. Research Virol. 1992, 143, 269-278. 

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