Asian Scientist (Jul. 25, 2013) – The Serum Institute of India has announced plans to take a promising new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine – originally developed in Germany – into the clinic.
Studies have shown that the new TB vaccine is more effective and better tolerated than currently available options. By signing a contract with the Hannover-based Vakzine Projekt Management GmbH (VPM), Serum, one of the World’s leading vaccine manufacturers, has secured the license to the various patents and technologies related to the new vaccine.
The vaccine, called VPM1002, is currently undergoing phase II clinical testing. It was co-developed by scientists from the Max Planck Society (MPG), Vakzine Projekt Management GmbH (VPM), and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI).
VPM1002 is based on another vaccine that was first introduced in 1921 called Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, or BCG. The vaccine, which consists of attenuated pathogens, prompts the human immune system to mount a response against the germ.
Today, the use of these types of live vaccines has become standard and is even used as part of “classic” MMR immunizations. VPM1002 is safer and more effective at preventing diseases than its predecessor.
“To this day, BCG is still the single most commonly administered vaccine,” said Professor Stefan Kaufmann, who developed the scientific basis for VPM1002.
However, in many instances, the vaccine no longer works as well as it used to in the past. Kaufmann’s ultimate goal is to make BCG more effective and, at the same time, safer.
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Source: Max Planck Society; Photo: DFID – UK Department for International Development/Flickr.
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