Health promoting innovation
Tests using a new vaccine against bacterial pneumonia have shown promising results. The vaccine is based on cheaper technology and does not have to be refrigerated during transport. This will make it more available in the poorest countries, where the disease hits hardest.
FACTS
The vaccine is actually a spin off from a cancer project, in which Mads Hartvig Clausen and other researchers are developing a cancer vaccine based on carbohydrates. Under the project, they can use a carbohydrate to mimic the surface of a cancer cell and thereby prepare the immune system to fight future cancer cells.
In the new childhood vaccine, a carbohydrate from Streptococcus pneumoniae is combined with a molecule that stimulates the immune system, thereby strengthening the immune system against a potential future pneumonia. The method has so far been tested on mice, which the researchers divided into two groups—one vaccinated and one unvaccinated. They then exposed both groups to the bacteria.
“After six days, all the unvaccinated mice had to be euthanized due to disease, while all the vaccinated mice were still alive and well after 14 days. It gave us a clear indication that our vaccine actually works,” says Mads Hartvig Clausen.
The new vaccine is not given via injection, for example like the corona vaccine, but must be administered through the nose as a nasal spray. This causes the immune system to be stimulated more locally in the lungs, instead of having to move throughout the body via the bloodstream. According to the researchers, this results in a more concentrated and effective vaccine.
Existing vaccines are based on a different technology, and unlike ours, they are relatively expensive to produce and must be kept cold.
Child deaths caused by pneumonia are closely linked to malnutrition, lack of clean water, sanitation, and limited access to health care. The disease therefore also hits hardest in countries with high poverty.
“Existing vaccines are based on a different technology, and unlike ours, they are relatively expensive to produce and must be kept cold. This means they must be refrigerated all the way from production to the location where they are given to those to be vaccinated,” says Mads Hartvig Clausen.
High temperatures are a major problem when it comes to transporting and storing vaccines. The WHO estimates that up to 50 per cent of the world’s vaccines are wasted – a major reason is lack of refrigeration. Because the new vaccine is based on a different technology, the hope is that it can be produced much more cheaply than existing vaccines, and also withstand the high temperatures.
To date, the vaccine has been tested on one serotype—a subgroup of microorganisms within the same species, in this case the streptococcus pneumoniae bacterium. However, there are more than 100 serotypes of the bacterium, and Mads Hartvig Clausen notes that existing vaccines on the market cover between 13 and 24 of the most common serotypes. The next step is therefore to test the vaccine on more serotypes, before the researchers seek to get the vaccine approved for use in humans.
“Development can be rapid if you have enough resources. But realistically, I predict that we will have completed the first clinical studies in four to five years,” says Mads Hartvig Clausen.
After that, the vaccine will be sold to a pharmaceutical company, but this depends on the researchers being able to prove it works in humans.
Facts