Optimisation of bacteriophage M13-based DNA and chimeric (DNA/ protein) vaccines

噬菌体(噬菌体)提供了在同一结构中同时传递蛋白质和DNA疫苗的潜力。他们还承诺极快的开发和制造时间表，因为DNA疫苗盒可以被合成来表达几乎任何病原体的抗原，确切地说，在序列鉴定后的几天内。噬菌体非常强大，可以口服或与其他疫苗结合使用，作为颗粒抗原，自然针对抗原提呈细胞。BigDNA拥有基于噬菌体的DNA和DNA/蛋白质(嵌合)疫苗的专利。到目前为止，我们的重点一直是使用噬菌体lambda。该公司现在希望探索使用噬菌体M13作为这项技术的替代载体的潜力。M13拥有极好的制造基础和巨大的技术潜力。基于噬菌体的DNA疫苗技术已经由英国的BigDNA公司开发并申请了专利，已经吸引了海外投资、商业合作研发活动和与大型制药公司的许可协议。该项目旨在调查旨在优化的一系列修改的潜力，并将M13开发为一个用于此目的的平台，这将导致一个疫苗平台和能够应对多种传染病和癌症的疫苗平台和产品，这些疾病和癌症的当前疫苗要么不存在，要么不能在大流行疾病适应症可能需要的快速开发中开发。

Bacteriophage (phage) offer the potential to deliver both protein and DNA vaccines within thesame construct. They also promise extremely rapid development and manufacturingtimescales, since the DNA vaccine cassette can be synthesised to express antigens forvirtually any pathogen, literally within days following sequence identification. Phage areextremely robust, and can be delivered orally or in combination with other vaccines, andbeing particulate antigens, are naturally targeted to antigen presenting cells.BigDNA holds patents surrounding bacteriophage-based DNA and DNA/protein (chimeric)vaccines. To date, our focus has been on using bacteriophage lambda. The company nowwishes to explore the potential for using phage M13 as an alternative vehicle for thistechnology. M13 is extremely well characterised with an excellent manufacturing base, andoffers enormous technological potential. Phage-based DNA vaccine technology has beendeveloped and patented by BigDNA in the UK, and has already attracted overseas investment,commercial collaborative R & D activity, and a licensing agreement with big pharma.This project aims to investigate the potential of a range of modifications designed to optimiseand develop M13 as a platform for this purpose which should result in a vaccine platform andproducts capable of addressing a wide range of infectious diseases and cancers for whichcurrent vaccines either do not exist, or alternatively, cannot be developed in the rapidtimescales likely required for pandemic disease indications.