Scientists start work on vaccine to prevent future coronavirus outbreaks

The Vaccine Group, created to commercialise the work of Dr Michael Jarvis, is looking to adapt its novel vaccine platform technology
Dr Michael Jarvis

Scientists start work on vaccine to prevent future coronavirus outbreaks

The Vaccine Group, created to commercialise the work of Dr Michael Jarvis, is looking to adapt its novel vaccine platform technology

Scientists from the sa国际传媒 have started work on a coronavirus vaccine designed to prevent outbreaks similar to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers at The Vaccine Group (TVG), a University spinout company, have already made significant progress in developing vaccines designed to prevent infections jumping from animals to humans.

They are now looking to adapt its novel vaccine platform technology to prevent future human coronavirus zoonotic emergence.

TVG was created to commercialise the work of Dr Michael Jarvis, Associate Professor (Reader) in Virology and Immunology in the University鈥檚 School of Biomedical Sciences.

He is already working closely with a number of international partners, and this latest project will involve colleagues at the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute and Kansas State University.

Dr Jarvis, TVG鈥檚 Chief Scientific Officer, said:

Concept 3d illustration of coronavirus COVID-19 disease

鈥淎s COVID-19 has shown, the spillover of disease from animals to humans can have a very high social, economic and commercial cost globally. Naturally, there has been a swift move into funding the development of human vaccines and therapeutics, but to date we are not aware of any approaches to eliminate COVID-19 in the animal population to prevent future outbreaks or re-emergence of the disease. The animal species involved in emergence of COVID-19 remain unclear. We believe that such a vaccine tool may be vital for control of COVID-19 as well as other emerging coronaviruses. We have therefore started work on a vaccine and will be partnering with the Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute and Kansas State University, with whom we already have close links.鈥

Since being formed less than a year ago, TVG has secured more than 拢9million in funding and made significant progress towards developing a range of vaccines.

Trials in rabbits of a prototype bovine mastitis vaccine have demonstrated the technology鈥檚 ability to deliver strong, targeted immune responses. Vaccines to combat bovine tuberculosis and African Swine Fever Virus are about to enter initial animal trials, and US government-backed work to develop vaccines to tackle Ebola and Lassa fever is making good progress.

Dr Jarvis鈥 work is based on benign forms of herpesviruses, a group of viruses found in all animals, including humans. The vaccines are created by inserting a non-infectious region of DNA from the pathogen being targeted into the herpesvirus, which then stimulates an immune response against the disease when delivered into animals.

He added:

鈥淏y developing vaccines for animals, rather than solely for humans, you are potentially tackling any future outbreaks at source. Development of this particular vaccine has just been started and it is expected to be in animal studies before the end of the year. Although this will be too late for the current outbreak, the diversity of animal reservoirs and genetic variability of COVID-19 and related coronaviruses mean it could give rise to future pandemics. An animal vaccine could help prevent this from happening, although we still don鈥檛 know the animal species involved in the spillover of the current COVID-19 into humans.鈥

TVG is supported by the University鈥檚 commercialisation partner, Frontier IP, and earlier this year the company completed a 拢680,000 equity fund raise that valued TVG at 拢9.5million. The funds are being used directly to accelerate technology development.

Frontier IP Chief Executive Officer Neil Crabb said:

鈥淭he announcement shows TVG has been making great progress to date in meeting the compelling need for vaccines to tackle diseases with profound human and economic costs. The range of vaccines now under development and the success of trials so far proves the technology could be potent in tackling a wide variety of diseases that jump from animals to humans or are damaging economically. We鈥檙e working closely with the Company to accelerate its vital work.鈥

Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research

From basic research discovering the causes of disease, through to evaluating novel ways of delivering care to the most vulnerable people in society, our thriving community conducts adventurous world-leading research

Transformation in life course, ageing, methodologies, eHealth, technology and interventions in health, social care, lifestyle and wellbeing.

Find out more about Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research

People walking and talking in a modern setting.

Find out more about the sa国际传媒's spinout companies

More related news

Happy pigs living on organic ecological farm in Denmark.