THESCHISTOVAC
The targeted development of a new generation Vaccine for Schistosomiasis
| Coordinatore | ACADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS LEIDEN
Organization address
address: Albinusdreef 2 contact info |
| Nazionalità Coordinatore | Netherlands [NL] |
| Totale costo | 5˙161˙126 € |
| EC contributo | 3˙799˙975 € |
| Programma | FP7-HEALTH
Specific Programme "Cooperation": Health |
| Code Call | FP7-HEALTH-2009-single-stage |
| Funding Scheme | CP-FP-SICA |
| Anno di inizio | 2010 |
| Periodo (anno-mese-giorno) | 2010-02-01 - 2014-07-31 |
Partecipanti
| # | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
ACADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS LEIDEN
Organization address
address: Albinusdreef 2 contact info |
NL (LEIDEN) | coordinator | 1˙179˙680.00 |
| 2 |
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Organization address
address: The Old Schools, Trinity Lane contact info |
UK (CAMBRIDGE) | participant | 547˙160.00 |
| 3 |
INSTITUT PASTEUR DE LILLE FONDATION
Organization address
address: 1 Rue du professeur Calmette contact info |
FR (LILLE) | participant | 363˙030.00 |
| 4 |
ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY
Organization address
address: "King Street, Old College" contact info |
UK (ABERYSTWYTH) | participant | 322˙400.00 |
| 5 |
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM BORSTEL
Organization address
address: Parkallee 1-40 contact info |
DE (BORSTEL) | participant | 273˙525.00 |
| 6 |
KENYA MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Organization address
address: Off Mbagathi Way contact info |
KE (Nairobi) | participant | 186˙570.00 |
| 7 |
UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
Organization address
address: "Mile 11, Dodowa Road" contact info |
GH (LEGON-ACCRA) | participant | 184˙860.00 |
| 8 |
TRION Research GmbH
Organization address
address: Am Klopferspitz 19 contact info |
DE (Martinsried) | participant | 181˙550.00 |
| 9 | KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET | DK | participant | 180˙800.00 |
| 10 |
Vector Control Division - Ministry of Health
Organization address
address: Bombo Road 15 contact info |
UG (Kampala) | participant | 180˙000.00 |
| 11 | Nome Ente NON disponibile | GA | participant | 106˙988.46 |
| 12 |
Fondation international de l'Hopital de Dr. Albert Schweitzer de LAMBARENE
Organization address
address: Hopital Albert Schweitzer na contact info |
GA (Lambarene) | participant | 93˙411.54 |
| 13 |
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
Organization address
address: Rue Michel -Ange 3 contact info |
FR (PARIS) | participant | 0.00 |
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Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)
'The aim of this project is to develop a new generation vaccine for schistosomiasis. The vaccine will be based on exposed proteins and/or glycans of the vulnerable skin stage schistosomula, making it safe and effective. The life stage-specific vaccine target selection strategy is based on state-of-the-art schistosomal transcriptomics and glycomics technologies and data, and unique serum and sample libraries from endemic areas will be the key to identifying protective immune responses and effective targets. Preclinical in vitro (cellular and whole parasite) and in vivo (rat model) testing of protective antigens with respect to cellular responses and effective parasite killing are part of the development pipeline. Analysis of human T- and B-cell responsiveness is an integral part of the approach. A unique SME-led approach to potentiate the effect of immunisation by use of engineering engineered antibodies will also be part of the project. The project involves strong participation of researchers from four schistosomiasis-endemic countries, and several European groups all with a long history of successful collaboration.'
Descrizione progetto (Article)
Schistosomiasis is a chronic infection caused by the worm Schistosoma and estimated to affect around 200 million people worldwide. Praziquantel is the only treatment option but reinfection often occurs, particularly in young children living in endemic areas. This necessitates repeated administration of the drug, which runs the risk of generating praziquantel-resistant worms.
Based on the observation that immunity to Schistosoma does develop in endemic areas, scientists of the EU-funded project 'The targeted development of a new generation vaccine for schistosomiasis' (THESCHISTOVAC) are proposing to develop a prophylactic vaccine. The vaccine will be directed against the early post-penetration skin stage larvae.
In view of previous failed attempts to develop effective vaccines, the consortium is carefully selecting the candidate antigens with required characteristics in terms of expression pattern and antigenicity. To this end, they are using transcriptomic profiling of S. mansoni in 15 different stages of its life cycle, and have so far prioritised 15 proteins for vaccine development. The http://www.theschistovac.eu (project website) contains more information.
In parallel, glycan expression profiles of all life stages have been generated and utilised to develop microarrays for serum antibody screening. Preliminary data indicate that endemic groups can be discriminated on the basis of their antibody response to certain glycans.
An important line of work of the project is the establishment of a rat model of Schistosoma infection for studying immunity to early schistosomula stages. Vaccine candidates will be tested in this model for eliciting immune responses against the larvae stages of Schistosoma.
Apart from advancing our understanding of schistosomiasis immunology and the protective immune mechanisms against the parasite, THESCHISTOVAC outcomes will significantly impact vaccine design. Combined with an improved research infrastructure and training of local staff, the activities of the project will hopefully improve the current toll of Schistosoma infections in sub-Saharan Africa.